Open Hiding Away Again

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus had been walking through the corridors, lost in thought when he suddenly saw a big group of people blocking the hallway. They had been talking and laughing together and there had been no way Augustus could simply squeeze past them. He would've had to ask them if he could pass. Instead, he had slipped through the nearest door before they could see him, as somehow the thought of talking to a group of strangers terrified him. He silently berated himself for the reaction, they were younger students, too. But as frustrated as he was with himself, he didn't want to leave the Trophy room. He wondered how everyone else managed these things better and wondered again if Professor Kahurangi had had any idea what he was like when she had made him a prefect. Those kids could have been tearing down the paintings on the walls and Augustus wouldn't have had the guts to take some points. He sighed and slumped against the wall, wondering if he should just slip back out and go in the direction he had come from. For now, he simply waited, telling himself he was being very stupid.

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addy was on her way back to the dorms. She was walking back when she spotted a familiar tuft of hair up ahead. She smiled and walked a little quicker. Before she could call out for him, he had ducked out of sight. Addy stopped, blinking, unsure of what to do. She hesitated a moment before following after him. Slowly, she opened the door and peeked inside. Seeing her boyfriend, she slipped into the room. "Augy?" She stepped over, putting her hand gently on his arm. "What's wrong?" She asked softly.

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus ran a hand over his face, trying to talk himself into leaving the Trophy room and walking on through the corridor like a normal person, no matter how much the mere thought made his stomach hurt. He blinked when he heard a familiar voice. He looked up in surprise. "Augy?" He asked. Then he shook himself. "Hi Addison." He added quietly. "I'm fine..."

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addison smiled shyly as he questioned the nickname. "I... yeah. I thought it was cute," She explained softly, pushing up on tiptoe to brush his hair out of his eyes. "Like you." She dropped back onto her heels softly, slipping her arm around his and lacing their fingers. She brought the other hand up to touch his inner arm gently. "Fine is hiding in the Trophy room?" She asked softly.

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus scratched his neck, smiling nervously. "Oh." He said, looking away shyly. "Uh, thank you." He said, looking at her as she brushed the hair out of his eyes. "You can call me that if you want..." He added. "Do you want me to give you a nickname too?" He asked, though he wasn't any good at nicknames. He wondered if it bothered her that he called her by her full name. He blushed when she correctly guessed he had been hiding. He shrugged. "Maybe I had something to do here." He mumbled weakly.

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addy smiled, shaking her head at his question. "You already do, silly," She informed him. "Everyone else just calls me Addy. You're the only person that calls me Addison. I like it. It makes me feel like I'm more than just one half of Allie and Addy the twins," She rubbed her thumb gently along the side of his hand. She raised a brow at his answer, and reached up, putting her fingers gently on the side of his chin and guiding him to look at her. "Augustus," she chided him gently. "It's alright... I'm right here. You can talk to me," she lowered her hand, placing it lightly on his chest and giving him her warmest smile.

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus nodded slowly as Addison explained he already had a nickname for her, simply by calling her by her own name. He hesitated. "I suppose." He said quietly, glancing down at where she was running her thumb over his hand. He winced a bit when she made him look at her, but he didn't look away. He shrugged a bit as she said he could talk to her. "It's just silly." He said softly. "I was waiting for those people to leave the corridor." He said, gesturing vaguely. He doubted Addison had even noticed them, things like groups of people didn't seem to bother most people.

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addy waited patiently, letting Augustus explain what happened. She smiled gently, shaking her head. "You know, Augustus," She leaned into his side a bit, rubbing her hand gently along his arm in an attempt to be comforting. "I know this other boy. He's soft, sweet, unimaginably talented. He's in charge of a club and he's currently seeing two different boys. But you know something? Despite being cute, and talented, and in charge of an entire club, he's still so shy and soft he hides in the gardens where he thinks no one can find him." She smiled warmly at her boyfriend, squeezing his arm. "And I love Casper all the same."

Addy turned to look up at Augustus a bit better. "It's okay to step back from things that make you uncomfortable, Augustus. That doesn't make it silly, or make your feelings less valid. It's completely okay to feel overwhelmed by large crowds." She tried to reassure him.

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus was a little confused when Addison started talking about another boy. He didn't know who she was talking about and was vaguely starting to wonder if he should be jealous when she finally mentioned it was her cousin. Augustus sighed. "I'm not your cousin, he's... not as bad as me." He said hesitantly. "I don't think I could ever run a club." He added, by way of explanation. But her next words made him think for a moment before he nodded. "I suppose so." He said softly. "But it wasn't really a large crowd. It just feels silly. I know my cousins would say I'm stupid." He admitted.

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addy listened to Augustus, shifting to stand in front of him, taking his hands in hers. "Augy..." she gave him a tender smile. "Whatever you think they might say, I'm here right now, and I don't think you're stupid." She smiled and stepped closer, running one hand gently up his arm. "I think you're very intelligent, absolutely endearing, almost unbearably handsome," Addy reached up and pressed her hand to his cheek. "I adore you just as you are. And if that means hiding in the trophy room to avoid people, well, that just means I get to keep you to myself." She smiled warmly up at him.