Open One heck of a ride

[Elio Zephyr]

It had been a strange few weeks, that had been somewhat of a roller coaster ride for the fifth year. Elio now sat on the roof of the greenhouse, camera hanging from around his neck and he watched students and professors pass by him without evening noticing. He wasn't high enough that it caused his fears to set in, but it was out of the way of everyone that he could manage to get clear shots of everyone with the camera when they weren't looking. He was grateful for his friends and the things that had occurred in his life, and he was sat contently watching others go about their business. He missed working for Accio! but he knew he still wanted to work on his own projects, including a particular one around capturing moments as they came. Perhaps he could have taken more from that himself, making the most of opportunities as they presented themselves, but Elio wanted to find moments in relationships, whether that was friends, couples, tutors, that would show content. He'd already taken a few shots, just watching people as they passed across the lawn. Sat crossed legged on the roof, Elio was reflecting on the last few years, and how far he'd come since his time at Hogwarts Scotland. Even though in his third year he'd had a persona that focused on him getting expelled, he'd managed to turn things round a full 180, and with a prefect badge pinned to his jacket, the Gryffindor was just happy to be where he was right there, right then.​

 

[Caspian Lavish]

Despite the win, Caspian was disappointed that Gryffindor had won the most recent Quidditch match so quickly, there were so few games in the year to enjoy and Caspian had barely taken his seat before Willow had grabbed the snitch. With little to occupy his team Caspian found himself wondering aimlessly around the grounds. The sun was gleaming which made the grounds all the more beautiful, even just walking around them was a good way for the Gryffindor to switch off from all things school related and relax. Caspian found himself close to the greenhouses where he spotted someone sat on top of one of them. From the distance he couldn't see who but it was unusual enough and he was curious enough that he had to see who it was. Caspian made his way toward the greenhouse so see who was sitting atop them. "Elio?" Caspian recognised his roommate and friend since first year. He was actually surprised to find the boy alone, he figured he'd be spending the glorious day with his boyfriend or...his girlfriend or whatever Rowan Baros was to him. "Comfy up there?" He asked.

 

[Elio Zephyr]

The Gryffindor hadn’t realised he’d been spotted, although it shouldn’t have been too surprising. Sure he may have been out of the natural eyeliner of those walking past but it didn’t mean he was invisible, or even trying to be. Elio peered down to see Caspian, and smiled at his friend. “Hey Cas!” He’d been one if Elios first friends when they joined the school, “More so than down there,” he shrugged. Being comfortable right now was more to do with feeling as though he was getting in anyone’s way, and while he could have sat on the grass he preferred to capture his photos when people didn’t actually realise it, and putting a camera in front of them would sort of defeat that object. “Coming up?” The prefect asked, laying his camera to the side to beckon his friend, leaning over slightly to give him a hand. Thankfully it was not too high that Elio minded looking down, which was good because he didn’t ever want a repeat of what had gone down in the try outs.​

 

[Caspian Lavish]

Caspian eyed up the greenhouse considering how Elio had managed to climb up, and to figure out how he could get up there himself to join him. "Uhm yeah, let me just..." Caspian voice trailed off as he found something he could scale up to climb to the top of the greenhouse where he was able to join his friend. "So, are you hiding from Marco or Rowan?" He asked his fellow Gryffindor. He could safely say he'd never known anyone who enjoyed hanging out on a roof, but he had to admit it did have quite the view.

 

[Elio Zephyr]

Elio's grin was wider than ever when Caspian decided to join him. It was one thing to hang out in the stranger places at school, but it was even more fun to be able to do so with your friends. He watched as Cas got comfortable, adjusting his own position so that he could both look out across the grass while still half facing his room mate. His question took Elio a little by surprise though, having not really spoken about his feelings for either directly, but maybe it was obvious to others what was going on in Elio's life. He chuckled a little, thinking about his answer, and even though he shrugged, if he had to pick one of the two then he knew who it would be, "Marco." Elio didn't have reason to hide from Rowan, he never had. "Although, I'm not really hiding, but you're right, if we bumped into each other right now, it would be a little bit awkward," he shot the Gryffindor a nervous smile, wondering how much he really did know about what was going on. "What about you, are you trying to stay out of someones eye line?" he asked, curious if he'd just caught Caspian at a good time.​

 

[Caspian Lavish]

Caspian nodded, he hadn't expected Elio to say he was hiding from Rowan, from what he knew about them they were pretty tight. "I thought you guys had hit it off?" Caspian asked. While he was far from in the know about Elio's love life, from the little he had observed he assumed the two of them were in the early stages of something developing, that appeared to know not be the case. "Me? Nah, Rainey is off doing...Slytheriney things, so I'm just looking for anything to do that isn't my potions homework," He laughed.

 

[Elio Zephyr]

Had they hit it off? Maybe, to begin with. "We went out a bit," he began, sighing as he remembered little things about Marco like his smile that would set Elio off again, a mixture of constant guilt and nerves, even though the latter was sometimes a good thing. "It's.. complicated. It's like, I'm so torn.." Elio was still trying to figure out how to balance it all, make sense of it so that he understood it, let alone be able to tell others what he meant. "I like him, I really.. liked him. But me and Rowan, we're connected by something else and I can't even face Marco without feeling like I'm doing something wrong." he admitted quietly, not really knowing why it had to be this hard. "I'd do anything for her." he shrugged, knowing the same couldn't have been said for his ex and that's why he'd had to end it. Elio smiled when Cas mentioned his potions homework. He wasn't sure what exactly counted as "Slytherin-y" things, but he knew what it felt like to want some kind of distraction. Elio nodded, thinking about it for a few seconds, "Are you... and she..?" he was looking at him with a suspicious smile, trying to decipher what exactly was going on with his friend. ​

 

[Caspian Lavish]

Caspian listened as Elio talked about Marcos and how it had become complicated due to his relationship with Rowan which only further confused Caspian, he knew the pair were close but just how close? To the best of Caspian's knowledge, Elio was gay but then, as he was starting to learn himself, no ones sexuality was ever truly set in stone. "So you and Rowan are...a thing?" He asked awkwardly, that wasn't the vibe he was getting, more that Elio and Rowan had a deep bond that maybe leaned platonic but was hard to explain. Caspian could certainly relate to the feeling that he'd do anything for his best friend, he felt the same. "Me and Rainey? Nah, we're best friend, I love and would do anything for her, but no we're not that," Caspian shrugged. Maybe there had been a time where it felt like more of an option, but Caspian was struggling to figure out his own sexuality, let alone take a risk as great as dating his best friend.

 

[Elio Zephyr]

Asides from within those involved, this was the first time Elio had to try and explain the relationship. “Yes and no?” He shot a glance to Caspian, “We’re friends, best friends, but we’re not a couple. We’ve never really tried for that, it wouldn’t work.” Elio hadn’t really entertained the idea of being Rowans boyfriend, it just didn’t sound right and he knew the limitations they’d put on one another if they ever decided to do that, and it wasn’t fair to either of them. “It’s like there’s a piece of me missing, that I’ll never be able to change. I’m not attracted to girls like that” It made the Gryffindor sad to know that he was the reason things would never be simple for them. He’d never felt bad for his own orientation, he had always been proud of it, but that didn’t stop him resenting himself a little for what he was doing to her. Maybe he was being selfish not to let her go, but how could he? He loved Rowan and it was more than just wanting to hang out with a friend, she was the friend he wanted to experience everything with. Elio nodded at his dorm mates explanation of him and Rainey. It would have been simpler if that was his own case but his heart was too involved. Another cheeky grin appeared on the prefects face, “Alright, not Rainnnneeeyyy. Is there anyone else?” He asked, knowing Caspian kept to himself most of the time, but maybe he did secretly have his eye on someone.​

 

[Caspian Lavish]

Caspian had never heard anyone talk about their best friend in such a way. Sure he loved Rainey and he'd do anything for her but he'd never describe her as a part of him, or that her absence would be like a piece of him was missing. "Wow I, I've never heard anyone talk about another person like that," Caspian hadn't even heard Gwen or Hayden talk about their significant others like that, not that either of his siblings talked to him about their love life. Caspian raised his eyebrow at Elio's emphasis on Rainey's name, wondering if he had believed when he said there wasn't anything between himself and the Slytherin. He could honestly say there wasn't anyone specific, though if anything he'd always been a little curious about his roommate, he'd been the reason Caspian had began to question his own sexuality in the first place, but he couldn't tell him that. "No, no one, no girls, no...no one,"

 

[Elio Zephyr]

Elio wasn’t sure what he thought Caspian would make of that, but to hear that he’d not heard anyone else talk about another in the same way was relieving. It had been a struggle to find the line between whether he felt Rowan was his best friend or something more, and how closely the two were really connected, but knowing that Caspian also seemed to believe that the way he felt was more than just as a friend, no matter how important, reassured him that he was correct in his feelings. The Gryffindor nodded as his room mate explained he didn’t have anyone he thought about in that way, although the fact he brought up the word girls did make him suddenly consider whether there was more reason for Caspian to seek him out rather than just to sit with one of his friends. Just because Elio had for the most part been sure about his orientation didn’t mean it was easy for everyone to know where they stood. “No girls.. or guys?” He asked, watching for his reaction but talking a little quietly, unsure of how Caspian would take it.​

 

[Caspian Lavish]

Caspian looked over his shoulder back at Elio as he asked if there were any guys, he had meant to subtly imply that it wasn't just girls the Gryffindor would potentially be interested in and it was good to see Elio pick up on it though Caspian still wasn't sure how much he was willing to open up about. "Maybe," Caspian shrugged. "I've been thinking about guys for a while, that I might like them the same way I like girls you know? Well, there's one guy at least who's made me think I might,"

 

[Elio Zephyr]

When Caspian shrugged, Elio knew he'd done the right thing in asking, and that he wasn't totally off topic by thinking that it was more than just girls on his mind. He understood of course what his roommate meant when he said he may like guys in the same way, and while Elio wasn't exactly in the same boat, he knew it was just clear cut and simple. "Who's that?" he asked, curious to who had managed to peak his interest enough that he was reassessing his sexuality. ​

 

[Caspian Lavish]

Caspian had certainly not intended to bear his soul to his dorm mate when he climbed up onto the greenhouse to join him but somehow that was where the conversation had gone. He sighed as he looked away from his fellow Gryffindor and out at the view of the grounds from the greenhouse. "You," He said simply. "Kinda since first year really,"

 

[Elio Zephyr]

Elio did have an idea but he couldn’t be sure without confirmation. While he was correct in his guess, it still surprised him to hear for how long. Five years and Caspian has never said anything, even when Elio was so openly gay himself? He couldn’t imagine the confusion going on in his dorm mates mind and it took him a moment to know what to say. “I didn’t realise,” maybe it was be reassuring to him to know, “I don’t think I could be with another guy romantically.” He felt like he was repeating what he’d already said but he had to make sure the Gryffindor knew. “But, I can help you. If you’re comfortable with it I can help you figure it out, and maybe you’ll have a better idea,” he didn’t know what it would be like to be with someone after Marco, but there wasn’t anything stopping him from doing anything with Caspian. Elio had been open to everyone about how he felt and they’d accepted him for it, and he had to believe that. ​

 

[Caspian Lavish]

It was certainly a strange situation to find himself in. In truth, Caspian wasn't sure if he would say he had feelings for Elio but he knew he felt something toward the boy. Maybe things would have been different if he had opened his mouth before whatever had developed between Elio and Rowan, or maybe not. "I understand," He said simply, it wasn't like he was asking him out after all. Caspian just wanted to figure out what he felt, if what he was feeling was real. The only think he did know was he still like girls, but was he open to guys as well or was Elio a unique curiosity. "How? How would you help me?" He asked looking back at the boy.

 

[Elio Zephyr]

Elio couldn’t help but let out a light chuckle as Caspian asked how he could help him. “Alright, well look,” he shuffled closer to his dorm mate, turning so that he was facing him now with one leg hanging over the edge and the other crossed in front of him. “If you want me to stop just say, otherwise..” he left the sentence trail in the air, glancing down to take one of his hands in his own. He was only holding it lightly, but even Elio could tell there was a stronger attraction to the guy beside him when Elio touched his skin. The prefect was quite affectionate with many people though and he knew that that wasn’t always the case. Elio glanced back up to meet his eyes, studying them for a moment, “Have you kissed anyone before?” He asked, trying to gauge his friends reaction. He hoped Caspian trusted him enough to be honest, not just with this but with his feelings too, and he’d get it if it was too weird for Gryffindor to keep going.​

 

[Caspian Lavish]

Caspian's heart began to pound in his chest as Elio moved closer to him and took hold of his hand. He was suddenly very aware of their public setting and of himself in that moment. He looked down at the roof of the greenhouse when Elio asked him if he had ever kissed anyone, he shook his head slowly. "No, I haven't," Was he offering? Is that what he meant by helping him figure out what he was feeling?

 

[Elio Zephyr]

If Caspian hadn’t kissed anyone before then he didn’t know what to expect at all, The gentle smile on Elios face grew a little, “Hey, don’t look so worried.” The prefect wasn’t going to do anything if he didn’t want him to. He followed his friends gaze downward a little, and wondered if they they were too out in the open, “Do you want to move?” He offered, giving him the chance not do this in such as a place that anyone could end up catching them. “I know I’m not attracted to girls because when I kissed Rowan, there was just, nothing,” it wasn’t that it was bad, it was just blank. It didn’t do anything for him at all. “Maybe if you kiss me you’ll know,” he said, laying out an option.​

 

[Caspian Lavish]

Caspian looked around, they were out in the open but there weren't many people around so they weren't all that exposed so he shrugged. "I don't mind staying here," Caspian was feeling a little nervous, he'd never kissed anyone before and now he'd be doing it to figure something out rather than with someone he was dating. "I erm, would like that,"

 

[Elio Zephyr]

Elio nodded, here it was then. He had no reason why being in public would be bad for him, although if Marco saw him maybe it would confuse the Hufflepuff. Elio couldn't always avoid chances though just because of someone else might have thought though, so the Gryffindor wasn't too worried about it. The prefect smiled when his friend told him he would like that, and before Caspian had a chance to overthink what was happening, Elio cupped his cheek with one hand and lent towards him, pressing his lips against his softly. Elio was quite confident in his own understanding his orientation, which was only confirmed again in the moment. He would never tire of kissing beautiful guys, and as he was sat beside his roommate he was perfectly content to just see what happened. ​

 

[Rowan Baros]

Rowan was trying so hard to keep her mind on studying. But she’d clearly gone absolutely nutts because she was so sure she’d just seen Elsie talking to Vegeta? Surely, surely she was imagining things, which was why she’d left the muskiness of the library to head outside. Maybe studying for her OWLs at the end of the year would better serve her outside, since she didn’t have Hyperion to study with anymore, and she missed him. She didn’t like it when her friends left, so it was hard to know that he’d up and done so without even discussing it with her. What was with this new trend of people leaving her? She almost wanted to roll her eyes at the implication, but she couldn’t help but to feel like it was true. As she headed across the grounds, she could see some bodies on top of the greenhouse that appeared to be talking. She was pretty sure one of them was Elio, since she’d know his silhouette from anywhere, but she wasn’t totally clued in on the second person. She grinned and headed towards them. “Hey, E-“ she had to cut herself off as Elio leaned towards the other boy and kissed him. She immediately slapped her hand around her mouth and turned around to head away. It shouldn’t be upsetting to see, she knew Elio was gay. But that didn’t mean she had a strange feeling every time she saw him with someone else. It didn’t help her anxiety that she was constantly sure Elio was going to decide he preferred a full relationship with someone and she was going to lose him forever either. Yep, best pretend she saw nothing.​

 

[Caspian Lavish]

Caspian was nervous, it wasn't just that he was kissing a guy for the first time, it would be the first time he kissed anyone. He blushed when Elio cupped his cheek and leaned forward, Caspian leaned forward to meet his lips, the kiss was brief but it was soft and nice. Once it was over Caspian was sure about one thing, he liked kissing Elio. "That was nice," He said awkwardly as he leaned out of the kiss.