Christie
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Patrick
Oh no. Uh oh. 

He grimaces. He has a little heartfelt cute gay romance book he was checking out to make himself feel better about being an idiot about flowers in the garden. 

And... He doesn't want to put it back. 

Maybe he can get out of the library before Ares gets in! Yeah. That's it. He quickly goes to check it out, shoving it in his bag. But...

Maybe confronting Ares... Isn't a bad thing? Maybe he'd listen more here? Or maybe... Maybe he's not heading over here, and Moru needs to stop letting *"Scary" Ares* Get into his head and... 

Back to the shelves he goes. He loves it here. It's his safe space. He's not letting Ares ruin it for him.

Even if being in the romance section is *Definitely* Going to give Ares ammo.
Ben
Ares hadn't slept, as usual. He had grabbed an energy drink off his cluttered desk before leaving his dorm, caffeine was always the solution. The crackle of the can being popped open echoed through the completely empty stairwell, the early morning silence was heavy in the air. Ares was a perfect candidate to shoot through the halls like a lit firecracker and disturb any peace that had settled in his absence. 

The library was *All* The way on the first floor, so to cut time, Ares only went down one floor. The second floor was just as empty as the third floor, the boy of course didn't care. He walked with a certain entitlement and confidence, like his massive ego was on a leash trailing behind him. Whether this trait of his was charming or truly something to be abhorred, was up to whoever he interacted with. Luckily for Ares, and rather unluckily for Mamoru, he was about to converse with someone who *Really* Didn't like him. How fun. 

Ares reached the second floor of the library, or the Nook as it was called. He threw the empty can into the bin by the door and pumped his fist with a small cheer when it landed in first shot. Perfect aim.

The smell of fresh books filled his lungs as he slid down the railing of the spiral staircase. He landed at the bottom with a triumphant laugh, which echoed rather obnoxiously through the empty room. To Ares this was a cheer, to Mamoru it was a warning. 

With very little time, Ares' deep auburn eyes had locked on the person he had showed up to bother. The library wasn't very large so after peaking around a few corners, the green haired figure came into view. Moru was standing on the other side of a shelf, fixated on an open book in his hand. Ares cocked his head to the side with a playful smirk, and walked over to the other. 
_ _

"Watcha readin?" He snickered and leaned over Moru to look at the books on the shelf. 

"These all look like cheesy romance novels." Ares shrugged mockingly, the smirk ever-present on his face as he leaned back out of Mamoru's personal space. "Didn't take you for the soft type..."
_ _
Patrick
Great. *Great.* Awesome. *Wonderful.* This is *Great.* Moru certainly doesn't find him charming. Just annoying. A nuisance. An entitled aßhole. You get the point.

The laugh irritates him. It's a *Library.* Even if no one else is in there, it's common curtesy. Geez. Worse yet, he doesn't have time to hide. 

Not that he *Should* Hide from Ares. That'd be giving him too much satisfaction that he does *Not* Deserve. But still.. In that moment he realizes that all of their... *Altercations* Have been through text. He's never seen Ares face to face. He really doesn't think he wants to. But looks like the whole not-seeing-him is about to end. Wonderful. *Wonderful.*

There's an odd anger boiling in Mamoru for Ares just- *Being* Here with the intent of messing with him. This is his peaceful place. And Ares has to come and ruin it. 

He snaps the book closed as Ares leans over him. He inhales sharply, about to tell Ares to f[]k off, when he leans back on his own.

"That's not- ... Look, am I not allowed to *Enjoy* Things? Plus, it's not like I *Read* These things *Normally* I just-" He quickly thinks of a lie. "...Experimentation in reading. Yeah. With genres." He is an awful liar, and busies himself looking at the shelf and not at Ares.

"Can you tell me what you want? I'm kind of busy right now."
Ben
Ares and Moru were as different as could be, yet the two of them had one thing in common. Unwavering stubbornness. Neither one of them would admit defeat to the end of a petty argument, which wasn't beneficial to either side but was the far better option then letting the other win. At least, thats how Ares saw it. Yet Ares didn't feel angry or frustrated, Mamoru had yet to successfully get under his skin, instead he felt thrilled. Caffeine and adrenaline were two powerful forces when combined. 

"You don't sound very sure of yourself." Ares scoffed in a joking manner, almost a half baked laugh that didn't come out in full. "Doesn't matter though, I couldn't give two shits what you read." Turning his gaze away from Moru, Ares had a certain carefree attitude that he seemed to carry with pride. It was infuriating, especially to others. 

"Why else would I be here? You think I come to this place for fun? I'm here because *You* Seem to have an issue with the fact I don't read." He sneered. "So, come on then fruit salad, cough up some recommendations." The scowl on his face pulled back into the same bastard grin almost as quickly as it had came.

Ares was taller than Moru by a noticeable amount. The two contrasted each other in the most comical manner. Moru had waist length green hair, with pale skin and a clean, academic looking, outfit that was frankly unreasonable for so early in the morning. Meanwhile Ares had dark brown hair that was shaved into a undercut, tanned skin and more piercings than you could count. All these aspects made Ares a wonderful opposite to someone as annoyingly pristine as Mamoru. 

"Oh yeah and don't recommend me any of that flowery shit, I'd rather chew off my own foot than read something like that." 
_ _

While Moru sounded annoyed, Ares sounded unbothered. His Puerto Rican accent was audible under his snickers and teases, and added nicely to his already deep voice. The boy was loud as well, despite being in a library, he had very little volume control.
Patrick
Meanwhile, Ares getting under Mamoru's skin is a *Constant.*

Ares's attitude makes him annoyed. Very annoyed! Because Moru is a person that cares a *Lot.* And Ares doesn't care at *All.*

"*Fruit sal-?* Oh." He realizes the implication, and has to force himself not to retort. "Whatever. Just- *Whatever.*" He looks up at Ares, trying to ignore the height difference to the best of his ability.

Moru does have some piercings, but they are all in his ears, where he feels they belong. 

"I wasn't-" The deep voice is agitating as well, since Moru's voice is not that deep. He clears his throat. 

"You know, maybe I want you to chew off your foot. Sounds *Inconvenient* For you. So... No, but- I don't know. I didn't expect you to *Actually* Come here and bother me. And- *Keep it down.* Christ, haven't you been in a library- I dunno- *Ever*?"
Ben
"Well, *Poof*, I'm here." Ares made a mocking gesture, jazz hands. "God you are such a stuck up teacher's pet." Despite the fact Ares wouldn't take orders from anyone, his voice did lower ever so slightly. 

He grumbled. "There is no one even in here, why do you care." Ares folded his arms over his chest. 

The black t-shirt he was wearing pulled over his muscles, they wrapped around his arms and only became more visible when he crossed them. Mamoru had never seen Ares in person, and neither had he, but now they had one thing was obvious. A person like Moru had *Guts* Picking fights with someone like Ares. Ares was the kind of boy that looked like he shoved people like Moru into lockers for fun, and broke noses for a living. He had the same energy as a rusted pocket knife that carved delinquent symbols into the underside of a highschool desk. 

Ares' dark eyes found their way to look directly at Moru. He stared down at him under a furrowed brow with a gaze sharper than his tongue, it shot daggers directly into the others chest. Intimidating on more levels than one. The only thing breaking this was the smirk pulled on his face, or perhaps that was worse. 

"You gonna keep kissing those books or are you actually gonna recommend me something?"
Patrick
"I am *Not* A-" He sighs. He may as well just accept that. It's not... Inaccurate. He likes staying out of trouble. But in reality he's just feeling territorial.

Moru's gaze lingers on the muscles. *F[]k.* He doesn't plan on stopping though, even if he *Is* A twig in comparison. 

Moru is used to being picked on. Ares doesn't seem the type to try to nearly kill him, so it's not as bad as it could have been.

That glare... He quickly looks away, face flushing a bit. He's... He doesn't know. 

"I don't- I'm not-" He's stammering now. Because... What *Does* He know? Ares could take him out in one hit. And he might. He inhales. At least everyone would know who killed him.

"Yeah. Sure. Something from that shelf. On the *Opposite* Side of the library." He's over the embarrassment now, glaring at Ares. Not as deadly a stare, but gutsy.

He points. 
"Far away from me."
Ben
Ares leaned in to stare at Mamoru, his brow furrowed farther. 

"Sounds like you're just trying to get rid of me. Here let me see, what're you reading."

Ares reached across Moru, completely ignoring personal space, and grabbed the book that was directly in front of the others face. He looked at the cover, some interesting details with a title in fancy font. The book was heavy, hardcover, and rather long. He flipped it around in his hand a little bit before opening to the middle of the story. With a dramatic yawn, Ares closed the book just has quickly as he had opened it. 

"Boring as fucking hell, just like you." He snickered.

With a grin, Ares tapped the book on Moru's head. With Moru being shorter, it was rather easy. It made a solid sound as it hit the others skull, hard enough for Moru to feel it but not hard enough to seriously hurt. Ares laughed as he slid the book back into the shelf. Once again, ignoring personal space *And* Being quiet. Ares wasn't a very good listener, and didn't care enough to be one. 

"Which book. Give me a title." 

Ares hadn't left, Mamoru's efforts were in vain.
Patrick
"No s[]t, Sherlock."

That, apparently, was not the right thing to say! Because Ares grabs the book. "Hey- give it back-" He reaches for it, but there's no way to wrestle it back.

*Boring.* It's not *Boring.* It's heartfelt and poetic and beautiful. Ares is just too *Dense* To *Appreciate* It.

"And I'm *Not* Boring." He cringes as he's bopped with the book. 

He grabs the book quickly once it's put back.

"Pet Sematary. Stephen King." He says without hesitation. It's the first "Spooky" Book that comes to mind. "If it gets you out of here faster, I'll help you find it."
Ben
"You're no fun." Ares huffed with a sigh, almost frustrated but not quite. "Does it ever get tiring? Yknow, being such a stick in the mud." He teased as he titled his head to the side. 

It was so early in the morning yet Ares was so stuck on bothering Moru. He didn't have a single thing that he could be doing instead, was buzzed on caffeine and decided that he was going to make that Mamoru's problem. Ares' suffocating boredom was obvious at the fact he *Still* Hadn't left. Moru was trying his damn hardest to get the prick to leave, yet here we was. Leaning against a book shelf with the same grin, unmoving. 

"Ill go check that book out later. For now..." Ares turned to Moru once again, curiosity dancing under his furrowed brow. "What are *You* Doing in the library so early, hm? Got any friends? Hobbies even?"

Despite everything, Ares had refused to move from his position. He was leaned against the book shelf, rather close to Moru, with his arms crossed over his chest in a display of confidence. Mindlessly, Ares ran his fingers down the spine of the book near his face. It was a deep brown colour, with some title imprinted against the material. Books were so frustrating to Ares, nothing but word after word and pages full of reasons to not give a fuck. 

What was enjoyable about this?
Patrick
"Does it ever get tiring? You know, being such a f[]king aßhole?" He's sure to keep his voice down for that one. 

Mamoru is *This* Close to leaving on his own. But he can't. Because, in a way, isn't that like... Giving Ares the space? 

And then the other question. *Got any friends.*

"And yes I have friends. Not- *Many*, but I have two, and that's good enough." He's counting Wan. 

Moru's opinion on books is the opposite. He loves them. They're an escape. Which is exactly why he can't give up right now. 

But also what's the point...
Ben
"Not many..." Ares repeated under his breath before letting out a scoff. "Figured. Its fine to be boring if you're smart, that gets you *Friends.*" Air quotes. "But I doubt you even have that." He snickered in a condescending tone. 

The tanned boy scowled. He was here to keep himself busy and occupied but Moru wasn't being very amusing. Instead of giving Ares a reaction he just got a sneer and some cold bullshit about him wanting to be left alone. After a few seconds of Ares mindlessly scanning the room in thought, an idea popped into his head. One that would surely be interesting. 

He leaned over Moru once more, invading all rules about personal space for a third time. Something in his gaze spelt trouble more than usual. 

"You really don't like me, huh? Why is that." Ares stared down at Moru. "Im all kinds of great."
Patrick
"I *Do* Have- look. He just doesn't know how to use technology well. Okay? If I want to find him, I can just go to the gardens or ask Wan." He doesn't like the condescending. He hates it.

The leaning over freaks him out. "Not so close-" He murmurs, taking a step back and going to the section of the shelf next to where he was. He takes out a book absentmindedly. 

"And wow. I *Wonder* Why I don't like you. Where do I start? You're an idiot, you provoke people for no reason, you're a brute, did I mention the idiot part, abrasive, obnoxious, and *Way* Too tall." 

He slams the book back into the shelf, looking back at Ares. "But yeah. Sure. *All* Kinds of great."
Ben
Ares snickered at Moru getting all worked up at him leaning over the other. Watching Moru mindlessly stare at a random book in embarrassment was both obvious and hilarious. This was starting to get interesting.

"Tall? Why thank you." He snickered. The tone of his voice was mockingly sweet, like he was *Trying* To be infuriating. Which he was, but of course how could he pass up *Such a nice* Compliment. 

"Strange of you to bring up my physical qualities after listing everything you hate about me. What, do ya' think I'm hot shit fruit salad?" Ares let out a laugh this time. It wasn't a condescending scoff but a genuine cackle of pure amusement. 

The taller boy was clearly back in his game, no longer scowling and having all kinds of fun toying with Moru. He gave just the right reaction to make Ares laugh. Of course, Ares wasn't doing anything terrible so what was the issue with some lighthearted amusement. 

"At least *Other* People like me. It's truly a shame you can't see that." 

Ares' tone jumped through mockery after mockery, first sickeningly sweet now obnoxiously dramatic. He was having a fantastic time with his theatrics, and having such a wonderful audience to witness it made it all the more great.
Patrick
Of course Ares chose to focus on that. Mamoru grimaces. 

*Do ya think I'm hot.*
The question makes his face flush. *Fruit salad.* 

This is where he has to mentally admit something: Ares is hot. Annoyingly so. 

But he's not into Ares. He's into *Someone* And that person is the opposite of Ares. 

"You're conventionally attractive, yeah, but youre way too full of yourself. I mean, what personality do you even really *Have* Under that?" It's easier to tell the truth and get it over with rather than saying an obvious lie. 

"And don't even give me that. *Other* People like you? Oh yeah? You mean the person whose not *At the cradle*? The rest of them... Do they really like you, or are they just *Pretending* To. Seriously. Are they just friends out of pity because if your, quite frankly, *Heinous* Attitude."
Ben
"Hell yeah I'm attractive." Ares sneered.

As Moru continued to talk, something about what he said had hit harder than Ares wanted to admit. He wouldn't show that of course, don't deal shit if you can't take it, but there was a hint of truth in what the other was saying that made Ares pause. *Pity?* There was no way people only liked him out of *Pity.* He was all kinds of charming. Ares felt anger press against his chest like a firecracker ready to explode. The warmth of the flame was unwelcome and unwanted, Ares would *Never* Let some *Prick* Like Mamoru get under *His* Skin. 

Ares leaned close to Moru's face in silence. A sharp gaze that spelt murder rested under an intimidating brow. His once bastard smirk turned into scowl. 

"You talk a lot of shit for someone that looks what? 14?" His voice still had an ounce of mockery in it, but something was angrier than usual. "You don't stand a chance against me."

What Ares was saying was true. Moru *Didn't* Stand a chance. Yet Ares had riled him up, so who was he to get pissy. Ares pulled away from Moru and leaned back against the shelf. The scowl had left and he was back to normal. The other had successfully pissed him off, but hadn't gotten under his skin. Try harder next time. 

"Its really becoming obvious the more I talk to you, the more I realize you are so *Fucking* Boring. Same goes for you alright? Anyone who has interest in you beside using you for your brain is *Full of shit.*" He laughed.

"Have fun being alone with your books. Maybe some day you'll read about how to be an interesting person." 
_ _

Ares waved his hand in an unbothered dismissing manner and disappeared around the corner. His hands were returned to his pocket and his slouched posture really did show that he couldn't give two shits about Moru.

As he continued to walk, he paused before the door and looked back over his shoulder at where Moru was. The other side of the library. Ares had full intentions to leave without hesitation, yet one thing caught his eye. The book that Mamoru had told him to read. Pet Sematary. It was a deep grey book with bold yellow letters that looked like they had been scratched onto the cover. 

Without another second of waiting, Ares tucked the book under his arm and left the library.
_ _
Patrick
He notices the changes in Ares' expression, yet didn't stop. *Why* Didn't he stop? He should have stopped? This went further than it should have. He goes to apologize, but the anger and leaning in freaks him out too much to get words out at first.

Then, he inhales, forcing some out. 

*He's going to kill me he's going to kill me h-*

"...I'm- just not as tall as you- I'm not-" He sure is acting like a kid, though, he realizes. Including wanting to hide.

"I don't- *Need* To stand a chance against you because it's not like we're going to *Fight* Or-...Whatever." 

He lets out a slow relieved breath when Ares leans back. Thank *God.* He thought he was dead for a second there.

*Using me for my brain.* He's been used for things in the past. How big of a deal is it?

...A big one.
But Craig and Wan aren't like that. They're not that type of guy.

They're not.

Are they?
No.

He puts the other book he hadn't checked out yet back, gritting his teeth.

He's not *Boring* He just- hasn't had a *Chance* To be interesting. It's different.

Now he's thinking about the other thing again... Well, if they're using him... That means he's useful. That's a good thing, right? It means that he's good at something. It has to. That's what matters. That he can be good at things and useful and they like how he does things or they like what he knows things about and *That's a good thing*.

Yeah.

Moru waits about five minutes after Ares leaves to take his leave.

He doesn't want to run into him right now.