Closed Unbreakable Heart

[Connor Holland]

Connor had been making a habit of keeping clear of the common room this year, for the sake of giving Lucas as much space as possible. As much as he missed hanging around the Hufflepuff commons, Connor figured it was a small price to pay for how hurt Lucas had been by their breakup. But that avoidance did make it more difficult to hang out with the few friends he did have, and Connor had been relieved when he had managed to drag Kas out to the lounge for a while. There wasn't even much to do, just study to catch up on, but it was overwhelmingly relieving not to feel completely alone. Between the fight with Nicole and his recent breakups, Connor didn't have much left in the way of friends, and he only wanted to cling tighter to the few he did have.

It was a relief not having such an important exam to prepare for as they had last year, but Connor knew the NEWTs were fast approaching, and he had brought a couple of textbooks out to the lounge to catch up on, sprawling onto one of the sofas with Kas, eventually winding up in a pile with his roommate as was customary. He had one leg hooked over Kas's, leaning idly on the other boy's shoulder as he pored over a Divination text, absorbed in what it had to say about advanced tasseography.

 

[Kasim Safir]

Kas was glad this year was shaping out to be a lot quieter than their previous ones. He figured he wasn't the only one who could use a break from drama for a bit, glad to just relax with Connor while they studied. Well, while Connor studied. He was working on trying to make a Cat's Cradle with some shoelaces, occasionally nudging Connor to get him to let Kas borrow a hand or finger as needed. It was the sort of hanging out that Kas preferred, doing his own thing in close proximity, enjoying having the warmth of Connor against him as he read and Kas fussed with the strings, their limbs tangled together as much as the strings wrapped around Kas' fingers.

 

[Eric Holland]

Eric had left a book in the Student Lounge when he had been hanging out with Minnie earlier, and it was annoying. He didn’t want to have to buy a new textbook, so now he was looking for it. To his frustration, it seemed to be gone. He was just about to give up and leave the Student Lounge when he spotted Kas all entangled with someone, he frowned. Kas hasn’t been dating anyone as far as he knew. It took him am moment to realize the other boy was Connor, and Eric did a double take. “You guys look cozy.” He grumbled. “Don’t tell me you’re dating Kas now.” He added to Connor, who was changing boyfriends a bit too much in Eric’s opinion.

 

[Connor Holland]

Connor had just removed one hand from his book for Kas to hook a loop of rope over when Eric approached. He looked up, greeting his brother with a smile, though the smile froze on his face as Eric continued. His first instinct was to defend himself, to argue with his brother about his dating habits. But glancing at Kas, it struck Connor that this was perhaps the first opportunity in his life for a prank, after years of being the butt of the joke himself. He raised his eyebrows at Kas, a gesture he hoped that Kas would read as 'go along with this', and Eric would read as 'let's tell him'. "Yeah, actually." Connor grinned, leaning more into Kas cheerfully. "We figured... you know, been tiptoeing around our feelings long enough, might as well give it a go." He smiled, drinking in the look on Eric's face. If this was how it felt to pull a prank, he understood why Kas and Freya were so fond of them.

 

[Kasim Safir]

Kas gave Eric an insincere smile, not even bothering to look up from where he was busy trying Connor's pinky to his ring finger. He did falter when Connor answered, glancing up quizzically at Connor. He clearly wanted Kas to go along with it, and while Kas knew his relationship with Eric was on shaky ground at best, what better way to communicate he was clearly over Eric than this. Plus it would be funny. "Mm, yeah. What can I say, I can't resist those beater biceps," he said mildly, barely managing to keep a straight face as he finally looked up at Eric. It was a challenge, almost, daring Eric to say something about Kas kissing him and begging he wouldn't. The admission made Kas more nervous that he would have expected, fully aware they were just messing with Eric, but Kas ignored it, focusing more on drinking in Eric's reaction that whatever feeling was coiling tense and uneasy in his stomach.

 

[Eric Holland]

Eric had meant it as a ridiculous joke, so when Connor confirmed that he was dating Kas, he nearly choked on his own spit in surprise. He coughed. "What?" He finally spluttered, turning wide eyes to Kas. "You're joking." He said, his expression turning into a frown. "Kas, tell me this is a sick joke." He added, his voice lowering slightly. It wasn't that long ago that Kas had kissed him, and while they were largely over that now, Eric couldn't imagine him dating Connor. It seemed wrong, especially because Connor had no idea about all that. Eric had never told anyone, but he wouldn't just let Kas use his brother as some sort of replacement for him.

 

[Connor Holland]

Connor's grin broadened as Kas picked up on his hint, flexing his arms slightly in response to the beater biceps comment. His face fell slightly at Eric's reaction though, and he gave Eric a disappointed look that was slightly more genuine than he expected. "What's sick about it?" He asked defiantly. "I know you're friends with Kas too, but we've been roommates for six years, it's natural for feelings to develop over that time." Connor said with a defiant shrug.

 

[Kasim Safir]

Kas gave Eric a look when he finally reacted, holding his hand out flat and raising an eyebrow in response. If he could guess, he figured he knew exactly what was going on in Eric's head, and he wasn't sure if he was pissed off at Eric for thinking it, or agreeing with him that it was kind of messed up. His outrage only made Kas want to double down more though. If he couldn't rationalize away the lingering guilt after his weird thing for Eric, he could smother it in a ridiculous scheme with Connor. What could go wrong. "Exactly. You know it's true love when you've seen their dirty socks and still want to kiss them," he said wanly, pulling his hand away from where he'd been tying his and Connor's fingers together, letting the strings unravel as he threw an arm around Connor's shoulder instead.

 

[Eric Holland]

As Eric looked at the two together, he felt rage building inside him in a way he hadn't felt in years. He glared at Connor, then moved his glare to Kas. "He knows what I mean." He said coldly. "Kas, what are you doing?" He asked him, watching how the two seemed only to move closer together. He felt the sharp sting of betrayal when Kas confirmed it was real. Without thinking, he started to speak, letting out the secret he had kept for Kas. "It's sick because he kissed me last year." He snapped. "And what, you can't get with me so you're using my little brother as a consolation prize? What the f*ck, Kas." He snapped angrily. "I thought you were my friend."

 

[Connor Holland]

Connor laughed at Kas's comment about dirty socks, and definitely didn't think about how many socks he really needed to put out to clean. He was at least distracted from that train of thought quickly as Eric spoke, driving the ruse out of his mind entirely for a moment. "You what?!" He said, looking at Kas with wide eyes, before pulling a face and looking back at Eric, then back at Kas. "Ew. You have terrible taste." He said firmly, unable to help himself. Connor had kissed plenty of people himself, both friends and romantic partners, and he had never really seen the big deal in it. He couldn't see what Kas saw in Eric though, wondering if Eric had just been curious about guys, or if it had been... an accident? He pulled himself out of his thoughts enough to remember the ruse, looking back at Eric. "Well, you can't be mad that he's with the better brother now. Because we're friends too and we like each other, and it has nothing to do with you." He said firmly before leaning over to kiss Kas, only pressing their lips together briefly before pulling away, giving Eric a defiant look. It was only then that it occurred to Connor that Kas was just about the only one of his friends he had never kissed before, and it was a little strange that this was their first kiss. They had both kissed Freya, but never each other somehow.

 

[Kasim Safir]

Kas bristled as Eric's tone, sitting up straighter and ignore the tangled length of laces that fell into his lap, hand unconsciously tightening his grip in Connor's shirt where it rested on his shoulder. "Don't be an assh*le. That was ages ago," Kas said, voice even but he hoped the warning was apparent. He knew Eric could be a tool when it came to Connor or his temper, but he had hoped Eric would have trusted him more by now. No wonder Connor wanted to mess with him. Kas rolled his eyes at Eric, and at Connor for good measure too. At least he was taking the kissing his brother thing a lot better than Eric. Way better, Kas thought vaguely as Connor leaned over to kiss him. He'd kissed most of his friends, so it wasn't like it was a big deal, but Kas couldn't help but glance back at Eric after Connor had leant back. They were officially in this on this prank for real then. "There. Now you're both even. Can you chill?" He said, moving back to settle more casually on the couch, his arm still over Connor's shoulder.