Otp Prompt #8: Simon is struggling trying to read a book for Magic Words- desperate, he asks Baz for help... (A variation of the Levi and Cath scene from Fangirl)
I walk into our room to only to see Simon fucking Snow throwing a book (a book. I swear. It's like he doesn't know they're sacred) onto his bed and tugging at his hair with frustration. I simply ignore him and walk over to my bed and try to focus on homework. But it's quite hard to focus on Poli-Sci when your bloody roommate is exuding waves of magic so potent you can taste it. I look over to see him still on the first page of his book.
"Having trouble, Snow?" I try to say with extra malice and a sneer to get him back for throwing the book. His face is red and he rolls his eyes.
"Yes, it's just this book-"
I cut him off and say, "I didn't know you could read." He holds my gaze, eyes watering
"That's the problem you tit. I... I can't read." I just sit dumbfounded. The Chosen One doesn't know how to read? Suddenly I feel bad for making fun of him about it.
"Can't say I'm surprised, Snow. I always knew that your intellect didn't go past that of a first year." I spit, when all I really want to do is hold him and tell him it's okay, Simon I can help you.
"It's not that I can't read. I can read. I just have trouble getting in all the words and remembering them. It's like all of the words move around on the page...," He looks over at me to see if I'm listening. I am. Understanding? That's a different story. "And now I have to read this book called The Outsiders for Magick Words in two days and just... ugh. I can't." His eyes water and my arms just yearn to wrap around him and tell him it'll be okay. But of course, I have a reputation to uphold. I just ignore him (without a sneer this time- I'm not completely cruel) and try to get back to my homework.
After a few minutes of trying (and failing) to ignore Snow, he pipes up again. "Hey, Baz?" My name comes out of his mouth comes out like honey. Soft and sweet. I look at him, silently telling him to continue. "You're a pretty good reader, right?" I scoff but nod at him nonetheless. "Do you think you could... I mean I know we're not friends, but- er, Baz what I'm trying to say is-"
"Spit it out." I lace my voice with venom and sneer at him for good measure, but it doesn't deter him from continuing to stutter.
"I, um... could you read to me?" I raise an eyebrow in answer, knowing he hates it when I do that. "Not the whole thing. I can get Penny to read some of it to me tomorrow. Just a few chapters?" I want to say no. I so desperately want to tell him to sod off and leave me be. But because he's Simon Snow and I'm hopelessly in love with him and because I'm weak...
I say, "Oh for Christ's sake, if you're going to make such a big deal out of it," I hardly ever swear like a Normal, but I momentarily forget how to speak when Simon looks at me with those big doe eyes. I get off my bed and make a big deal about stomping over to his bed and snatching the book out of his hands. Then I stomp back to my bed. I've read this book- The Outsiders- before. It's quite a good book. I remember all of it. I could easily just give Snow the basic notes, but for some reason unbeknownst to me, (I totally know the reason, but I'm not just going to bloody well admit it) I decide to just read it to him.
We both get settled into our separate beds and I begin. "When I stepped out into the bright sunlight..." I'm trying to ignore Snow's heated gaze on me as I read the words to him. At some point, I forget I'm reading aloud.
During a part in the book when Ponyboy describes the sleeping situation in their house, Simon can't help but ask, "Darry and Soda... they seem kinda gay, right?" I just look over at him and that lopsided smile of his. I can't help but let out a small laugh as well.
"Yeah, I guess they kinda are." I continue reading the book, but when I get to the part where Ponyboy and Johnny run away, my voice starts faltering. My throat is scratchy and I can hardly read above a whisper. It gets to the point where Simon can't even hear me.
"I can't hear you, Baz," He states simply. "Maybe we should stop?" I had been so consumed in the book that I barely even noticed when he spelled the lights off- his book was spelled to glow in the dark when it opened.
"No, it's fine Snow. I just need some water, that's all..." He hops right out of his bed and into our en suite, coming back a moment later with a glass of water held out to me. "Thanks." I grab the glass from him and drink it all, setting the glass on the nightstand in between our beds. Simon still doesn't make a move to go back to his own bed. I raise an eyebrow at him even though he can't see me very well.
Without warning, he sits down on my bed, his back leaning against the wall and his legs spread out in front of him. I'm acutely aware of how our shoulders and hips touch. "What are you doing, Snow?" I sneer at him. It's hard to sound menacing when your voice is minutes away from giving out all together.
"You can just whisper now." He states simply. I don't argue with him, and instead keep reading. A few more pages in, he stretches into a more comfortable position, laying down on my bed. I try not to say anything (for fear that my voice would hitch and give my pining away) when he grabs my arm and pulls me down to lay with him. Throughout the process, I don't stop reading. It's hardly necessary to read at all above a whisper when we're this close. A moment later, he adjusts into a more comfortable position. It catches me off guard when instead of rolling to face the wall, he rolls onto his side to face me. I can see his face in the dark (moles and all) looking up at me. His eyes aren't closed, but I can tell he's getting tired. Frankly, so am I.
I don't know why I roll over to face him, too. It's like some external force physically rolls me that way. I can feel his breath (mouth breather) on my face and I scoot down a tad so we're eye level. I can't believe I'm still able to read (or breathe, frankly) when he puts his arm around me hesitantly and pulls me closer. I can't believe I let him. Our foreheads are touching now and I feel as though I could spontaneously combust any second now.
We stay like this for a long while until our eyelids start drooping. We made good progress- we got to the part where the rumble was just about to start. I let the book fall shut and half-heartedly toss it over my shoulder. (Careful to not let it move Snow's arm from around me). In fact, I lean in even closer until every single part of us is touching- except for our lips. My eyes fall shut and I feel them stick there. Just as I'm drifting off to sleep, I feel something on my lips. Something soft and oh so warm.
Simon Snow.
He kisses me and I slowly kiss him back. He does this nice thing with his jaw, and all I want is to be able to keep kissing him. But alas... I can't stay awake any longer.
*Simon's POV*
When I wake up, the first thing I notice is the strong smell of cedar and bergamot. All at once, everything that happened last night comes back to me. Baz is reading to me. I move to Baz's bed. We're laying together. I pull him closer. So tired. He tosses the book. Baz. Baz's lips.
I let my eyes snap open and I see that it really wasn't a dream. I'm in Baz's bed and I hear him moving around in our en suite. Did I really kiss Baz last night? My enemy? A bloke? Yes, I suppose I did. And the best part is that I still remember everything from the book last night. I had no trouble retaining information when Baz was the one reading it me. But I also remember other things... the kindness of Baz when he said he'd help me. The soft touches. How instead of pushing me away, he pulled me closer. The way his breath felt. How soft his lips were. What's the protocol now? How do we carry on? Do we talk about it? Does he just want to ignore it? I don't really know what I want.
I'm just moving to get a new set of clothes when Baz comes out of the bathroom. His hair falls in a lazy wave in his face and I want nothing more than to reach out and tuck it behind his ear. We're enemies. I know that. And wanting to do these things to him is so wrong. But then... why does it feel so right?
"Snow." He nods at me once and then goes back to fixing his tie. Oh. He's just going to pretend it never happened. We glance nervously at each other a few times in the mirror, but we don't say anything. He doesn't sneer at me, so maybe that's a good sign. I feel like I should say something. I think I should bring last night up, but before I can get the chance to squeak out the words, he's out the door and heading for breakfast. I frown to myself all while I'm getting showered and clothed. I notice that Baz took a shower this morning, too. Was it just to avoid me?
When I get down to the dining hall, I notice that Baz isn't there even though he left way before me. I think he must be down at the Catacombs, but he usually feeds at night. (Or so I presume. It's not like he'd actually tell me.) Is he eating this morning to avoid me, too?
"Simon?" I hear, but it sounds hundreds of miles away. "Simon," Penny hisses at me. I break out of my stupor and look at her. Her brows are knit together and she's frowning. "You've barely touched your food all morning and you keep staring off into space. What's wrong with you?" I just shake my head at her.
"Actually... Pen, can we talk?" She looks concerned as she nods her head, prompting for me to go on. She is my best friend. I should just tell her and get her input. Because not only is she my best friend, but she's also smart, and she'll know what to think about all this. "Well don't freak out on me, but um- I kissed Baz last night!" It all comes out in a flurry, and when she doesn't look surprised, I tell her again. Slower this time. "Penny. I kissed Baz. And I think I liked it. I think I want to do it again." It's the first time I've even admitted that to myself, and Penny doesn't even look surprised! In fact, she just grins at me.
"No shit, Sherlock," I look at her dumbfounded, so she continues. "You only talk about him all. The time. It took you long enough to bloody figure it out, you tit!" She laughs. I want to say that when I kissed Baz last night, the possibility had only just occurred to me. But Penny is making me think twice. Like fifth year, when I didn't stop following him down to the Catacombs because I thought he was plotting. I still think he was plotting (and probably is right now, too), but I think some part of me was just worried about him.
"Okay, fine. So maybe I've liked him for a while, but I need your help. This morning after we had kissed, he just went on like it never happened. He took a shower this morning and is feeding down in the catacombs right now to avoid me. It's not like he doesn't know it happened; we slept in the same bed together!" Penny raises a curious eyebrow so I clarify, "Not like that! We fell asleep after he was reading to me. We kissed and then fell asleep. And now he's acting like it never happened and I don't know what to make of it." She thinks for a moment, looking at me.
"Did he kiss you back?" She finally asks me. I nod my head. He did kiss me back and Aleister Crowley, it was wonderful. So soft. Holding none of the anger he usually holds towards me. "So we know he likes you. Or at least some part of him, buried way down deep that only comes out when he's tired likes you. So you just have to make him say it somehow..." She quirks her nose and stares off into space for a moment, debating.
I could just corner him in one of our classes today. Snog him silly. His lips on mine and my hands running through his soft hair. I'm fucked. Whatever he feels for me, I am absolutely wrecked for the git. I could tell him how I feel in our room tonight. There's always a chance of him rejecting me, but at least if he hits me he'll be the one kicked out.
Penny jumps up in her seat and I swear I can practically see the lightbulb above her head as she turns toward me. "You have to get him to do it again! Did you finish that book last night?" I shake my head. "You need to get him to read it to you again- finish it this time. You need to just drape yourself over him and if he pushes you away from him, fine. But if he doesn't... Simon you need to kiss him again and really see if he kisses you back. There's no way he'll be able to ignore that the next morning." I nod, feeling my blood rush to my cheeks at the prospect of 'draping myself over him'. But fuck if I don't want to.
...
After all of my classes and dinner (all of which Baz ignores me during), I run to Mummers House as fast as I can to get there before Baz. I change into my pyjamas and spell off the lights. I think he'll be more inclined to let me get close to him if the lights are off. I grab the book off the nightstand and open it to where we left off last night. I wait patiently until Baz enters our room. He doesn't notice me at first- he just takes off his shoes and changes into his pyjamas. When he finally does notice me, though, he freezes in place.
"What are you doing, Snow?" He sneers at me. At least it's something and not the nothing that I've been receiving all day. I ignore the ache in my heart when he sneers at me and I just shrug. (I also ignore the way my heart rate seems to speed up when he takes a step closer to me. It should be illegal for him to look that good). (I can only see him because of the glow in the dark book).
"Penny didn't want to finish reading to me... and I need it done by tomorrow. Is that okay?" I try to ask softly and make my eyes look pleading. It must work because he sighs and snatches the book out of my hands as he sits down beside me. (Although I swear I can see a reluctant smile playing on his lips).
"It was almost six-thirty when I got home..." He started. This time he didn't even start talking at normal volume- he was hardly above a whisper. His voice held no malice that it usually does when he talks to me. I can't help but smile when he tries to imitate all of the characters' voices as they speak. As he reads to me, I remember what Pennys said. 'Drape yourself over him'. I try to snuggle in closer to him. I slide down and put my head on his chest. I take my hands and remove one of his hands from the book, moving his arm around me. He stiffens as I do it, and his voice catches just a little, but he lets me do it.
Whenever he's reading, he'll let me touch him.
I slide one arm under his back and another over his stomach and press myself into him. I look at the words on the pages but I can't bloody read them. It just makes me upset, so I instead tilt my head up to look at Baz. The way his lips shape the words as he reads. The way he tears up at some parts, and nearly laughs at others. I can hear (and feel on the side of my face) his heartbeat. It's very fast, and even in little light, I can see him blush. It must be from the rats he drained this morning.
Now he's absentmindedly (really. I honestly don't think he knows he's doing it) tracing slow circles on my upper arm. When we get to the 'Stay gold, Ponyboy' line, his breath catches. I cry softly, and when I look up at him, I see that he's crying too. His arm tightens around me when Dally storms out of the hospital. I tentatively lift a hand to his cheek and wipe a tear there. He keeps reading, not acknowledging my gesture. We're nearing the end of the book, and I find my heart picking up pace. Because when he finishes this book... I'm going to kiss him.
Five pages left. I pull him to lay down next to me, but I make sure our arms don't move.
Four pages. I press myself closer to him.
Three pages. I tentatively press a soft kiss to his collarbone. His breath catches.
Two pages. A kiss to his jaw. My stomach tightens.
One page. A kiss to the back of his ear. I can barely breathe... but in such a good way. Because he's letting me do this to him. Which means some part of him must like me. Penny was right.
He reads the very last line (it was a wonderful book. Even if I was focused on Baz, I still paid attention. I'll ace the test) and he closes the book, setting it beside him on the nightstand. It's completely dark now and we just lay still for a moment, neither of us saying a word. I think we're both fairly tired. I softly cup his face with my hands (which means I had to pull my arms away from him. That was sad) and I lean forward, rubbing our noses together, silently asking for permission.
"Simon..." He whispers and I can feel his breath on my face. I don't think about what I do next. I lean in and kiss him. Softly, at first. I roll over so I'm on top of him. He tenses beneath me, and he doesn't respond. I've made a horrible mistake. But just as I'm pulling away from him, muttering my apologies, he grabs me by the back of the next and presses our lips together, more feverishly this time. I feel his whole body sigh underneath me. Our lips work together and I moan into his mouth, which makes him bite back a groan. My hands are running through his hair and trailing along his back and nothing has ever felt so nice. I realize that I'm kissing a bloke. I realize that I'm kissing my rival. But as he sucks on my bottom lip, I can't find it in me to care.
We fall asleep tangled in each other.
*Baz's POV*
I wake up to the smell of fire and brimstone. I open my eyes and see that Simon is tangled with me, sleeping, and everything from last night comes back to me. The way he kissed me while I was reading. The way his arms felt around me, and the way his hands felt cupping my face. The way his lips felt. The way he tasted. My heart flutters just remembering everything. I gracefully untangle myself from Snow and go to take a shower. All I can think is that he better not pretend like nothing happened this morning as he did yesterday. I got up to take a shower yesterday morning so I would have more time with him at night. When I got out, I kept hoping he would do something. When he didn't, I chalked it up to being tired and went down to the Catacombs to feed so I wouldn't have to later that night.
All day, I kept waiting for him to say something to me about the night prior. But he never did. And all I know is that if he ignores me again today, my heart will break. As I step out of the bathroom, I see that Simon is sitting on his bed, staring at me. He doesn't say anything, so I got to fix my tie in the mirror, just as I did yesterday. (Giving him time to say something to me, if he so chose to). I'll respect whatever he wants to do, but I hope above all bloody hopes that he doesn't pretend nothing happened last night. Not when it meant everything to me.
When he stays quiet, I feel my face fall as I walk toward the door. "Bye then, Snow," I mutter, hand on the doorknob. But just as I'm about to open the door, I feel a hand on my wrist, spinning me around. I'm face to face with the sun.
"You called me Simon before." He spits. Usually I'm the one with venom in my words, but I hear it laced in his today. I quirk an eyebrow at him. I know he's talking about last night, but I still don't know what he wants to do about that.
"I did no such-" He scoffs and presses his lips to mine, hard. I work back with him, clawing at his shirt. We fall back onto his bed, kissing like there's no tomorrow.
"I love you," He says between feverish kisses. My heart glows.
"I love you too, Simon."
We're late to breakfast.
...
He's back in my bed that night, but with no book this time.