Closed School of patience

Lou blinked. Really? "Oh," he sounded surprised, looking down. So Erik just kissed him because he thought Lou wanted to? He wasn't sure what he thought of that. "I didn't know it could be read that way," he murmured, looking back up to Erik. "Did... You like it?" He asked almost unthinkingly, blushing and looking away. He was such an idiot, why had he asked that?!
 
Erik’s eyes glinted with mischief. “Sure, got a bit drenched at the end there,” he gestured to the water around him, “but it’s all the same, really.” He was still a bit stunned by Lou’s reaction. However, he tried not to make his surprise too obvious. He just acted like his usual outward self- cool, casual, unbothered.
 
Lou didn't think he could blush worse, but he apparently he could approach a heat in his cheeks that could rival a winter fire. "Sorry," he mumbled, looking down. "You kinda... Caught me off guard, I haven't... I haven't really... Kissed anyone before," he admitted shyly. "I- I tried, but- she always turned away. I thought it was just me," he laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

He tried to relax again, sliding a little further in the water, until it was to his chest, and pulled his knees up to his chest. He folded his arms on them and looked up at Erik again. "I, ah... I imagine you've been a lot of places." He tried to steer the conversation to something more neutral.
 
Remembering from their conversation last time that Lou had dated someone for a year, Erik was a bit shocked. They’d never even smooched? Erik would be gone in a month, and that was being generous. While he didn’t regret it that much, he felt a little bad to be Lou’s first kiss. Terrible of him, really- given that he was just having fun and barely knew the other man.

Erik smiled encouragingly at Lou. He nodded to Lou’s question. He knew Lou didn’t want to talk about traveling. Grinning, he turned and dove into the water, spinning through a few corkscrews before resurfacing.
 
Lou watched Erik, feeling a little unsure about things. He felt absolutely fascinated by his guest- he wanted to know more about him, about his life, but he couldn't say that Erik wanted the same. What was there to know about Lou, after all? He was plain, and boring. He watched Erik submerge, chewing his lip a bit. When Erik surfaced again, Lou asked a different question. "Are we friends?" He looked nervous, mostly because he was sure the other man would say no. "I... would like it if you came back to see me again," He offered a bit shyly. "I know... I'm not really all that interesting, but... I like talking with you." He glanced away, running a hand through his dripping hair.
 
Throughout his life, Erik had made hundreds of friends. He was always eager to have more. Grinning at Lou, he pushed himself onto the riverbank. His clothes felt extra heavy out of the water. No matter. “Of course, Lou. And you are plenty interesting. Give yourself a little more credit.”
 
Lou smiled, moving back to the grass with Erik and settling down next to him. He reached out, brushing Eriks hair from his eyes. "Sure, I'm just a farmer that hasnt been past the nearest town. Very interesting to a big city boy thats been all over the world," he teased, laughing lightly. "I know my place. I was born on the farm, I'll probably die here. Bettie and Reece went to school, she came back, he didn't. I was homeschooled, taught a handful of spells and given my fathers wand. I really don't know much more than this patch of dirt I'm on," he shook his head. "You must have the most exciting stories," he grinned widely.
 
For someone who just wanted to be friends, Lou was very hands-on. But Erik didn’t care and he didn’t judge. He shrugged. “I’m not as exciting as you think. And you talk like you’re dead already.” Erik didn’t know Lou’s age exactly, but he suspected he was younger than he acted.

Erik smiled encouragingly. “Why not buy your own wand?” He pulled his legs and feet out of the creek. Now a breeze had picked up; with his wet clothes, it chilled him to the bone. Erik absentmindedly pulled out his own yew wand and used the Hot Air charm to dry his clothes off.
 
Lou shrugged. He'd been on the farm for 42 years. He figured he was halfway through life and he couldn't think of a thing he'd done that was really worth noting.

Lou watched as Erik pulled out a wand of his own and dried himself. "Why?" Lou asked innocently, tilting his head a bit. "I don't really know enough to use my wand a lot anyway, the one I have works well enough."
 
While Erik had grown up with stretched finances, his dad had insisted on buying all of the children their own wands. No hand-me downs. “Wands work better when they choose you,” Erik recited. His own wand had a bit of an attitude; he couldn’t imagine trying to use another. “But that’s lucky.” Maybe Lou was a carbon copy of his father.
 
Lou blinked. Really? Maybe that was why he was only mediocre at the handful of spells he knew. "Are... Wands expensive?" He asked softly. He was hit by the sudden urge to go shopping. It had been a long time since he'd purposely gone out to buy something for himself. He had a little bit set aside- he never really bought much and while they werent rich they each had a little allowance to themselves. Usually he just fed his back into the farm- buying new equipment and things, birthday gifts or odd little presents for Mary, Bettie, or his mother. He bit his lip, an idea coming to him. "Would... You want to go shopping with me?" He asked shyly, sure it wouldn't be that exciting for Erik. Maybe... He could actually go to Obsidian Harbour. He'd never been further than the closest town, it would... Be really nice to go see something else.
 
Screwing up his face, Erik tried to remember how much they’d paid for his first wand. After all, it had been a long time. Erik had surprised himself; he hadn’t lost or broken his own. Some of his friends and family had needed to replace theirs already. Even Christian, his goody-two shoes of a brother, had his first wand destroyed when a four-year old Tilly had decided to drop it in a cauldron.

“Around one-hundred and fifty galleons, I’d say, but I think it depends.” Erik nodded. “Sure, I’d love that! When are you thinking?” Erik adored shopping- probably a little too much, based on the state of his finances. But everyone knew you needed state-of-the-art materials for potion-making, right?
 
Lou thought over his savings, he could... probably afford that, yeah, and a few other things while they were out. If he was going, he might as well make a day of it. "Well... I'm free tomorrow," He offered slowly, he was ahead, and Bettie would probably be surprised he was going but he doubted she would mind, as long as his work was done. They had both been raised to care for the farm above all else. Probably why they were both still single. He glanced over to Erik, enjoying the feeling of the sun on his damp skin. "Would that work for you?" He asked.
 
Erik hesitated. He wasn’t the type to carry a planner. However, he knew for certain that he would be spending all day tomorrow in front of a cauldron, on account of the potion he was making. “Oof, I actually need to brew a potion for a client tomorrow. A tricky one.” He grinned. “What about the day after?”
 
Lou pouted a little but nodded anyway. "Yeah, yeah that works," he smiled shyly. "Where do you wanna meet up?" He asked, running a hand through his wet hair. He stood again, flashing Erik a smile and wondering into the water a bit, sitting after a few long strides and enjoying the cool water that now came up to his chest.
 
Erik watched Lou, not shyly, as he waded further into the stream. “Somewhere in Obsidian Harbour, one of the pubs.” He clicked his tongue, then added, “or, you could meet me at my apartment, since it’s closer, and then we could travel together.” He wondered what Lou would say to that.
 
Lou blushed as Erik invited him to his apartment. Somehow this entire thing- even if it was entirely innocent- reminded him a lot of when he would meet Justine in town. He shut the door firmly on those thoughts. Erik wasn't interested in Lou, not like that, and Lou hadn't been on a date in over a decade. He doubted that would ever change. "Well... I could pick you up from your apartment, if that's alright," he pulled his knees up and rested his arms on them, before resting his chin on his arms.
 
Grinning at Lou, Erik said, “Don’t let me forget to give you my address.” He could be forgetful and scatterbrained, even when it was important. Sighing, he flopped onto his back, stretching his arms and soaking up the midday sun.
 
Lou chuckled. "I won't." He was silent a moment before moving to sprawl out on the ground next to Erik, watching the clouds. "Do you like living here now?" He asked.
 
“Mhm,” Erik said, moving his arm over his eyes to shield them from the sun. He was too lazy to summon his shades, even though his shoulder bag was close by. “I think I’ll stay for a while.” He had no real timeline. That said, he wasn’t planning on leaving anytime soon.
 
Lou smiled, relaxing into the soft ground. "That's good," he murmured, watching a cloud that looked like a rabbit. After a moment of silence, he spoke again. "I ran away once, you know. When I was a kid."
 
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