Closed Neutral Ground

[Sawyer Carnahan]

Sawyer knew there were a lot of rules when it came to dating and he was almost certain he'd somehow managed to screw things up with Estella already even though they weren't technically dating yet. Or at all. She'd said she liked him at Yule and then they'd just sort of... Left things there. He'd been too much of a coward to do anything about it at Yule. Or over the break. Or during their first few months back at school. And now it was Valentine's and he was somehow here alone like an idiot.

He'd gotten dressed and made his way all the way down here in the hopes that maybe he could still spot Essie and- he didn't know- pull off some grand romantic gesture? Sawyer dragged a sweaty palm down his face. He hadn't even seen Essie yet, just a lot of flowers and Ana Sofia hanging out with Delilah.

It was a relief almost to spot Finn nearby, looking as unaffected by all the romance about as he usually did. If there was anyone who would commiserate about Sawyer's mess of a love life, it would probably be him. Things hadn't exactly ended well between the two of them, mostly because Sawyer had gone and put his foot in his mouth about it, but Sawyer liked to think they were mostly okay now. "Hey, need company?" He asked Finn, giving his arms a little shake as if he could flick the anxiety out from his fingertips.

 

[Finn Madison]

Finn's final school dance. It didn't quite feel real - his time at school felt simultaneously like his whole life and like it had passed far too quickly. But here he was - graduation just months away, enjoying his last chance to party with his schoolmates and soak in the atmosphere. He hadn't made any real plans for the evening, contented to just see where the night took him. Of all the people to approach him though, Finn hadn't quite expected Sawyer. Though they had been getting along fine at Quidditch, he didn't entirely believe that the younger boy had forgiven him for their misunderstanding. He half expected some sort of argument, but Sawyer looked nervous instead. "Always." Finn said with a small smile, flirting coming far easier than any sort of attempt to address their past. "Enjoying the evening?"

 

[Sawyer Carnahan]

Sawyer immediately felt his face heat up as Finn responded, though he was mostly just relieved to have someone to talk to who wasn't associated with Estella. "Good, good, that's good," he said, rocking on his heels some. "I am... Kinda stressing actually," Sawyer admitted after a pause. Maybe Finn wasn't the best person to ask about relationships, but he was older and definitely more experienced than Sawyer. And it wasn't like he had many other people to ask. "I was kinda hoping to ask someone to the dance tonight and then I chickened out," he said sheepishly, glancing around the hall. "Uh, sorry, you probably don't wanna Sawyer's Weird Relationship Sh*t at your last dance. You enjoying the night? The chocolate fountains are pretty fun," he added hurriedly.