Closed Time To Tell the Truth

[Addison Beckett]

Addy had been nervous to meet her uncle. But her uncle had been very sweet, and she adored him already. But there was one thing on her mind since talking to her uncle. She needed to talk to Augustus. Honestly, she expected him to reject her. Maybe not want to be her friend anymore. But her dad and her uncle had been apart for so many years, and it felt like such a tragic story. She had been looking for Augustus all over, and she had been struggling to find him. Eventually, though, she recognized the dark head bobbing down the stairs in front of her. "Augustus!" She called, rushing down the stairs. He had rounded the stairs ahead of her, and she leaned over the banister, looking down to her friend. Her cheeks were flushed and she was a bit out of breath. "Augustus, I need to talk to you," she jumped right into it, her heart pounding and her cheeks crimson. This was going to probably going to end terribly. But she had to know.

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus was a bit lost in thought. He knew he should be worrying about the OWLs, but they seemed pretty far away to him still. He had been enjoying this semester, though it was a bit quiet. He had enjoyed the Valentine's Dance at least, it had been fun to be there with Addison. It had felt a bit different than it usually did, but Augustus hadn't really thought too much about that. Thinking about Addison too much made him nervous. She was his best friend and he didn't want anything with that to change. He knew her better than anyone and she actually understood him. Augustus froze when he heard someone call his name, turning around to see Addison leaning over the banister. He blinked up at her. "Uh, be careful." He said, taking a step back up the stairs. "What is it?" She looked a bit flushed, Augustus wondered if something was wrong. Was she sick?

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addy smiled as he spoke. She brushed her hair back, trying to decide how exactly to go about this. She bit her lip, considering it a moment, before shaking her head. "First, I need to know something. Do you still... like like Nicole?" She asked, folding her arms and still leaning over the bannister. "I need to know." She told him. She really did, she couldn't very well confess to him if he still liked another girl.

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus walked a few more steps up the stairs until he nearly faced Addison. He flushed when he asked her a sudden question about Nicole. His eyes widened and he looked around in alarm. "I- uh." He stammered, unsure how she even knew. "You... knew about that?" He asked in a hushed voice. "I- I don't-." He winced. Then shook his head. "No." He finally said. "Not for a while." He glanced up at her anxiously. "Did Ryan tell you?" He asked, embarrassed.

 

[Addison Beckett]

Allison smiled warmly at his reaction, reaching out without thinking to brush his hair out of his eyes. "Of course I knew, silly. I'm your best friend," she told him. She drew her hand back, folding her arms on the bannister beneath her and leaning a little more forward. She wondered why he looked anxious. Because she knew? Maybe. She shook her head as he asked about Ryan. "No. I just knew." Addy studied his face. "Do you like anyone right now?" She asked. She wasn't sure how to go about this exactly, and was really just winging it.

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus nodded when Addison said she knew about Nicole because she was his best friend, which he supposed made some sort of sense. Though Augustus didn't know if he had ever noticed Addison liking someone like that. Did that make him a bad friend? He was a bit overwhelmed by this all, especially when Addison said she just knew. He blinked at her next question, staring up at her for a moment. Her eyes were a pretty shade of blue, and he remembered noticing that at Valentine's Dance too. His stomach fluttered a bit. "I... " He said, his throat going dry. "Maybe." He finally croaked.

 

[Jordan Harris]

JORDIE JUST KEPT WALKING

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addy bit her lip, her eyes searching his face as he spoke. He did? That could complicate things. "Just maybe?" She breathed, leaning even further over the bannister. "Who?" She asked, staring a bit too intently at him as she tried to read him. Did she really have no chance at all? But there was something in his eyes that made her think maybe it wasn't so hopeless. A sudden impulse hit her, and without stopping to think, Addy grabbed hold of the railing and leaned over as far as she could, catching his lips in a light, almost shaky kiss. She had leaned over as far as she could go, if he didn't give her some sort of support, she was sure she would lose her grip and hurt them both. It didn't occur to her at that second, but it was almost a pretty metaphor as well as a literal situation.

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus felt more and more like he was going to combust as Addy continued to ask him about who he liked. He couldn't tell her he thought he might like her. She would probably react the same way Nicole had. He couldn't easily forget the disgusted way she had looked at him when she had seen him put the note in her bag. "Uh," was all he said, scrambling for something to say. Addison could read him like a book, she would know if he was lying. Augustus gasped as Addison suddenly moved closer, immediately realizing she could fall easily. "What are you-" he started to ask, reaching up to grab her. But then she kissed him and he froze for a moment. His eyes widened and he leaned in slightly, still holding her tightly so she wouldn't topple over the railing. He finally pulled back slightly. "Addison- you-" He blinked, then shook his head. "That's dangerous." He breathed, gently pushing her back slightly. "Be careful." It felt easier to focus on the danger than the kiss, though his cheeks were flushed. His brain felt like it had been scrambled.

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addison nearly melted when Augustus kissed her back. She couldn't tell if it was just instinct or if he meant it. Either way, melting in her position was probably a bad idea. She let him push her back onto her feet. She giggled softly, tucking her hair back behind her ear. She could feel the flush in her cheeks, and she shifted, twirling her hair around her finger and struggling now to figure out what to say.

"It... it was me," she finally admitted gently. "That poem, in your bag... when we were younger, all that time ago. It... it was me." She sighed, her smile fading as she stared at her feet. "It... wasn't a joke. But... when you said you hoped Nicole sent it, I... well, I couldn't tell you." Addy twisted her hair in her hand, biting her lip.

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus looked at Addison in concern, even as he felt his heart beat hard enough to fear it might jump out of his chest. He blinked as she started to speak, telling him she had sent the poem years ago that Ryan had obsessed over. Out of all the possibilities, Augustus never would have guessed that. He stared at her in shock, eyes wide. "Oh." He said, trying to wrap his mind around this. "I... I'm sorry." He breathed, feeling like he needed to do something. He paused. "Hold on a moment." He said quickly, turning and rushing up the stairs. He headed to Addison and stopped in front of her, faltering for a moment. "I... was going to kiss you, is that okay?" He asked. "Now you're not in danger of falling."

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addy blinked in surprise when Augustus apologized. Before she could reassure him, he told her to wait and started back up the stairs. She felt a bit flustered and hastily straightened her skirts, hoping she looked okay. She peeked up at him, wide-eyed, and gave him a shy smile. "It's too late for that," she teased him gently. "I fell for you years ago. I've just... been waiting for you to see me, with those beautiful big blue eyes of yours," she admitted softly, taking a small step forward and reaching up to place her hand gently over his heart. She hesitated a moment, pulling her hand back and tucking her hair behind her ear and biting her lip, looking away. "I mean- er- if you wanted to- I understand if you don't- I just- er..." she stuttered shyly, peeking back up at him and trying to gauge his reaction.

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus blinked when Addison said it was too late for falling, unsure what she meant. It took a few moments for the joke to land, and he smiled nervously, cheeks still flushed. "Uh." He mumbled. "You think they're beautiful?" All Augustus had ever heard about his eyes was that they were unsettling or creepy. "I... always saw you." He said softly. "I think. But I don't- I'm not good... with feelings, or people." He admitted. He hesitated as Addison pulled her hand back, seeing it as a sign that he might be going too fast. He quickly pulled his own hand back as well. He cleared his throat. "If you don't... want me to... I won't." He mumbled nervously. Though he didn't understand, as she had kissed him a moment ago. He realized that was the problem. She had kissed him, and he hadn't properly expressed that he enjoyed it. Addison was feeling uncertain, just like him. He hesitated only a moment longer before leaning in and pressing a soft kiss to her lips. His hand hovering uncertainly over her arm.

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addison felt at a loss for words, unsure for once of what she was supposed to say to her best friend. She could feel her heart pounding furiously in her chest, feel the heat in her cheeks. Before she could properly protest that yes, she wanted him to kiss her, Augustus seemed to figure it out himself. Her breath caught when she felt his lips on hers. Addison hummed softly, placing one hand back on his heart and leaning in closer as she returned his kiss. It was odd, but being closer to him helped her clear her mind. She sighed softly after several moments, and pulled back with a warm smile. She reached up with her other hand and brushed his hair back. "Yes, I think your eyes are very beautiful. Breath-taking," she smiled warmly up at him. "Are you going to tell me who you like now?" She teased him gently. She had a pretty good idea of who it was, but it would be nice to hear him tell her.

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus was pretty new to kissing. He had gotten some practice during the spin-the-bottle game, but this was different. Less awkward and just... nicer. Addison kissed him back, which felt a bit strange but not in a bad way. He finally blinked when she pulled back, looking down at her as she brushed his hair back. She told him she liked his eyes again, which made him blush. But at her question, he frowned in confusion. "I... like you. I thought I made it obvious." He said, but then he saw she was teasing him and he blinked. "Oh, you knew that."

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addison giggled, shifting on her feet and reaching out to hold his hand. "I do know that. I just like hearing you say it," She admitted, smiling gently up at him. She thought for a moment, running her finger gently over his hand. "I think... that after confessing, people usually start dating," she spoke slowly, blushing again at the thought of it. "Did you know that couples heartbeats synchronize?" She offered, automatically falling back to her usual facts.

 

[Augustus Westwick]

Augustus nodded when Addison explained she had known he liked her but that she had just wanted to hear him say it. He took her hand, looking down at their entwined fingers. "You could just ask me to say it." He said with a small smile. Though he knew Addison had just been teasing. Addison mentioned how people usually started dating after confessing their feelings, and Augustus thought about his older cousins who both had girlfriends. Well, he knew Edmund had a fiancée. He nodded. "I would like to try that." He admitted. "But I haven't dated anyone." He said, perhaps unnecessarily. "Have you?" He thought he remembered Addison going on dates with Niklaus before, something he didn't remember so fondly. "I didn't know that." He admitted. "Did you know... you're very cute?" He asked, smiling shyly.

 

[Addison Beckett]

Addison giggled gently and shook her head. "Maybe, but where's the fun in that?" She teased him gently, rubbing her thumb over his hand. She paused as he asked if she'd been on any dates before. "Not... really?" She offered, thinking of Nikklaus. "Not an official date, anyway." She concluded. She didn't really want to think of Nik right now.

She smiled as he said he didn't know that, pleased to have another little fun fact to show him. Before she could think of another, he had started, and she unthinkingly stepped a little closer. It wasn't often that someone had a fact for her, she was insanely curious what it might- At his words, Addy's eyes widened and her cheeks burned. She was absolutely floored. She brought a hand up to cover her mouth, completely taken aback by his statement. Her heart fluttered in her chest. "Awww, Augustus," she breathed. Flustered, she stepped closer and hid her face in his chest. She had no idea he could be so sweet. She couldn't help the smile on her face. He was so adorable.