[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/jMIQyyy.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/sdbAaWb.png[/img][hr][hr]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/aqwNuXw.gif[/img]
[sub][color=slategray]A [@Silent Observer] & [@smarty0114] Collaboration
Featuring: [color=0073d8]Dixon[/color] & [color=7eff9a]Noah[/color] & [color=d8bb00]Lucas[/color]
Location: School → The Hardy-Piccoli Manor[/color][/sub][/center][hr][hr]
[indent][indent]TGIF. Yesterday’s research session had gone better than expected, and now, JD had a plan. He had… half of a plan. Fuck it, he had an idea, okay? The idea was that he was going to invite Noah over to his house tonight. It was a friday, which meant they could stay up late playing video games or watching movies or whatever they felt like doing. Katie thought that he and Noah would get along, and Dixon didn’t have too many friends that were close to his own age, so he really wanted to make it work. How exactly the night would go, and how he would apologize for yelling at Noah on Tuesday… well, he had yet to fully formulate that plan. Admitting fault wasn’t something that he was used to. There were a lot of things surrounding Noah that JD wasn’t used to.

Over breakfast, the green-haired boy informed his parents that he would be having a friend over tonight, and they didn’t really give two shits. All the more reason to get a couple of additional chinese take out entrees, which was always a good thing. Following this discussion, JD gave them the rundown to try to [i]tone it down[/i], because this was a new friend, and he seemed kind of like a normie, and the last thing JD wanted was for his freakish parents to scare him off. During lunch at school, Dixon had sat by Noah and asked if he wanted to hang out at his house after school. He agreed, more quickly than JD had expected. So now, it was just after the final bell ring, and it was about time to get on the bus. As promised, Dixon arrived by Noah’s locker to meet up. [color=0073d8][b]“Hey… you good?”[/b][/color]

Noah was in fact, not good at all. He had no idea what had possessed him to agree to go over to JD’s house, but now he felt like his stomach was eating itself from nervousness. He was far too weird to be going over to people’s houses! He couldn’t play normal that long! He could hardly do it for the seven hours he was at school! Despite this personal turmoil, Noah put on a smile when JD came by his locker. [color=7eff9a][b]“Yeah! Are [i]you[/i] good?”[/b][/color] Noah asked, his tone treading the line of playful and defensive.

Dixon raised his eyebrow curiously, which could not really be seen from behind the verdant curtain of emo fringe. What was that supposed to mean? He was just trying to ask Noah if he was ready to go. JD shrugged. [color=0073d8][b]“Yeah, I guess so. We’re gonna take the bus, ‘kay?”[/b][/color] He didn’t wait for Noah’s answer, he just started walking. The bus was an intentional choice on his part, he needed to give Noah a pep talk about his parents… and he couldn’t do that if his parents were giving them a ride to his house. So… schoolbus it was.

[color=0073d8][b]“So… uh… before we get to my house, there’s something I have to tell you.”[/b][/color] JD said cryptically as they took their seat on the bus. 

Noah looked over at JD. [color=7eff9a][b]“Are your parents like, vampires or something?”[/b][/color] Noah grinned lightheartedly and awaited a response. Hopefully he hadn’t been right. Vampires were decidedly uncool. Although, vampirism might explain the hair…

[color=0073d8][b]“Is that going to be a problem?”[/b][/color] Dixon responded in an entirely serious tone, meeting Noah’s eyes. After a few long, awkward moments of silence, he cracked up laughing. [color=0073d8][b]“Nah… not at this time of the year, at least.”[/b][/color] Halloween, though? Now that was a whole damned production in the Piccoli household. [color=0073d8][b]“But… I mean, you’re kind of close to what I was getting at. Uh, do you know who my parents are?”[/b][/color] It was possible that Katie had told him, and Dixon himself didn’t really keep it hidden. [color=0073d8][b]“Do you listen to emo music at all?”[/b][/color]

Noah shrugged. Should he know who his parents were? [color=7eff9a][b]“Like old emo? Like Fall Out Boy and stuff? I mean, yeah a bit,”[/b][/color] Noah replied with nonchalance. [color=7eff9a][b]“Why does that have anything to with your parents?”[/b][/color]

[color=0073d8][b]“They’re both members of Deciduous Dreams. My mom’s the drummer and my dad’s the lead guitarist. It’s how they met.”[/b][/color] Dixon explained nonchalantly, as if he didn’t just state that his parents were bonafide celebrities. [color=0073d8][b]“But… that’s not what I had to tell you, though, it might explain a bit…”[/b][/color] JD mused and then shrugged. [color=0073d8][b]“Anyway, so, I’m sure you probably think I look a little weird, but… they’re weirder. Like, the whole house is a bit weird. It’s very… us, though. Just, try not to be intimidated by them, because they kind of like to fuck with people, and I have no idea what they’re going to do meeting a new person. I don’t really bring new people around that often.”[/b][/color] This pep talk wasn’t really going as planned. JD was starting to feel like maybe he was making things worse.

Oh. They were just famous. That was normal. [color=7eff9a][b]“Dude, weird is like, so normal. Plus, they’re famous, so they’re not weird, they’re eccentric. That’s what Katie’s mom says,”[/b][/color] Noah said with a grin. Famous and weird? Better than JD thinking Noah was weird and wanting him gone. Much better. 

[color=0073d8][b]“Yeah…”[/b][/color] JD trailed off as he looked out the window of the bus, traversing the familiar streets towards his home. [color=0073d8][b]“Eccentric... we’ll go with that.”[/b][/color] They chatted a little about music while they waited to get to their destination, which was a topic that a pair of emos could talk about for ages. Eventually, the bus came to a stop, not at a house, but by a gate. A huge wrought iron gate. Like a fucking cemetery or some shit. [color=0073d8][b]“So… this is it.”[/b][/color] Dixon said as he stood up and the two of them shuffled off the bus. The gate had an ornate looking sign that read “The Hardy-Piccoli Manor” in old timey gothic script. There was a camera hidden in the stonework at the side of the gate, towards which JD held up a middle finger and stuck his tongue out. The facial recognition registered the face of the only Piccoli child, and the gates opened with an ominous creak. 

[color=0073d8][b]“You’re into art, so you might think the house is kinda cool, actually.”[/b][/color] The ‘house’ he mentioned, was more accurately described as a castle. A long cobblestone path, just barely wide enough for a single vehicle and lined with beautiful shrubbery and landscaping, ended at a circle in front an enormous stonework home. With gothic architecture and stained glass windows, it looked more like a grand old church, or something that you would see in a european history book, rather than a home in modern day southern california. [color=0073d8][b]“Before you ask, I swear, it has plumbing. And high speed internet. It only [i]looks[/i] really old.”[/b][/color]

Noah grinned, both at the [i]friggin’ castle[/i] and at JD’s joke. How could he say that he was just happy that JD still wanted to talk to him after the events of Tuesday night? How could he describe the feeling that had engulfed him in the wake of that incident, that sense of drowning when your miles from water? [color=7eff9a][b]“I like you, and so I’m sure I’ll like your house,”[/b][/color] Noah said. [color=7eff9a][b]“Like, I like you as a person. Not like...like like. Like you’re fun to hang out with,”[/b][/color] Noah said, chuckling nervously, his face nearing crimson territory.

[color=0073d8][b]“Oh.”[/b][/color] That… hurt? Why did that feel like it hurt? Noah had been blushing, so maybe didn't mean what he said. But why did Dixon care so much if he meant it? Worried that he was stumbling on this for too long, JD finally responded. [color=0073d8][b]“Yeah. Same, that’s why I, uh, invited you over.”[/b][/color] He attempted a smile and kept walking down the path, his fists balled in the pockets of his black hoodie. They eventually made it to the front door, which was surprisingly easy to open for the size of it. JD kicked off his shoes at the entrance and looked over to Noah. [color=0073d8][b]“You want anything to drink? Or a snack?”[/b][/color] He asked, leading the way to the kitchen. The main hallway of the home was decked out with gothic furnishings, candelabras with actual candles in them, and quite a few original paintings that were as eerie as they were valuable.

Noah took off his shoes and set them neatly next to JD’s before taking a moment to look around in awe. [color=7eff9a][b]“I’m...good...are these original?”[/b][/color] he asked, walking over to look at one of the many paintings that adorned the walls. [color=7eff9a][b]“They’re like, wicked cool,”[/b][/color] he said, all thoughts of his and JD’s tumultuous status thrown out by his instinctual need to examine art wherever he could.

[color=0073d8][b]“Hm?”[/b][/color] Dixon replied in a quiet hum, turning around to look back at Noah. The boy had gotten distracted by one of the paintings in the hallway. That was no surprise, his parents hung some of their favorite — and most expensive — pieces in the main hall. It was also not a surprise, given Noah’s hobbies. [color=0073d8][b]“Oh, yeah, they all are. Mom and Dad are big into art, they pretty much get something shipped to the house everytime they go on tour to a new country. Some of it’s local, we go to art festivals and stuff sometimes. But, I think that one is from… France?”[/b][/color] JD said before he continued his walk to the kitchen to get himself a glass of juice before they headed upstairs. [color=0073d8][b]“My favorite is up in the hall by my room, I’ll show you on the way.”[/b][/color] He called out from the kitchen. His parents were… mysteriously quiet, and nowhere to be seen thus far.

Mention of JD’s room snapped Noah out of his art loving haze. Why was he so shocked? Did he think they’d be hanging out in the kitchen the entire time? He wasn’t quite sure what he’d been expecting, but bedroom? Not it. Bedrooms were private spaces, where you were the most you, at least in Noah’s opinion, and JD was letting him into his? [color=7eff9a][b]“Lead the way,”[/b][/color] Noah said, chuckling nervously.

[color=0073d8][b]“Well [i]duh[/i], I kinda have to lead the way.”[/b][/color] Dixon said sarcastically as he returned to Noah in the hallway, a glass of dark red liquid in hand. It sort of looked exactly like a glass of blood, funnily enough, supporting Noah’s vampire theory. It was just cherry pomegranate juice though, JD’s absolute favorite. He smirked to show that he was, in fact, just kidding. Saying mean shit was in his blood, it’s how Piccoli’s show affection towards their friends and family. With that said, Dixon lead the way up a spiral staircase that has black and white marble slabs for steps, getting off at the second floor. There was a third floor above them, but it mostly went unused outside of the holidays, as it was for guests.

JD stopped in front of a painting. It was brighter than most of the other pieces in the manor, but the theme was still macabre. It was a skull, decorated with intricate designs in a rainbow of colors, surrounded by flowers and candles. [color=0073d8][b]“This is the one. My favorite. My parents brought it back from Mexico, they were there during Día de los Muertos a few years ago. Isn’t it awesome?”[/b][/color] Dixon looked to his new artist friend for a critique. If Noah were to ask why it was his favorite, he probably wouldn’t be able to explain it. It just made him feel… something.

[color=7eff9a][b]“Woah,”[/b][/color] Noah said softly, his eyes trained on the artwork that hung in front of him. He loved it! The colors, the brushwork, everything about it was so beautiful! [color=7eff9a][b]“I love it! It’s way better than anything I could do!”[/b][/color] Noah said. [color=7eff9a][b]“The designs on the skull are so detailed! This must’ve taken hours!”[/b][/color] Noah took another look at the painting, admiring the time and effort that must have gone into it. He wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to sell something like that. How could you let something so beautiful out of your sight?

Dixon smiled at the positive review. Trusting Noah as a subject expert on the matter, this must mean that JD had good taste in art. After a few moments of quietly admiring his favorite painting, Dixon stepped away and headed towards his room. It was more than just a bedroom, it also boasted a large walk-in closet and an ensuite bathroom. The bedroom itself was big enough to not only have a sleeping area with a queen size bed, but also a living area with a flat screen TV, multiple gaming systems, and a big comfy couch. There was also a corner of the room dedicated to all of his stringed instruments, displayed openly as if they themselves were art. The walls were a bright blue, at least what you could see of the walls through all of the band posters and music paraphernalia covering them, and the most notable accent color was black. There was a lot of black, and some gray, which was really just [i]light[/i] black. 

[color=0073d8][b]“So, what do you want to do? I’ve got tons of movies, or we could stream something if I don’t have it… and, of course, there are all kinds of video games.”[/b][/color] He asked, dropping his backpack to the floor by his desk before going to sit on the couch. There was an excited meow from the chair in the corner, as Dixon’s gray and white [url=https://i.imgur.com/lVWOqEH.png]cat[/url] woke up from a nap and arched its back. It was about to jump down and join Dixon on the couch when it identified the stranger in the room, and stopped to stare at him very intensely.

Noah stared down the cat for a moment, offering out a hand that the animal glanced at before hopping down from the couch, bored with Noah. The artist shrugged, and proceeded to look around the room, drinking up everything that was JD, before sitting down on the couch. The band posters, the furniture, the instruments, they all told him something different about this mysterious, radioactive boy. [color=7eff9a][b]“You’re room is huge!”[/b][/color] he exclaimed, his mouth forming an O of awe. [color=7eff9a][b]“We can play a video game? I’m not very good though, just a warning,”[/b][/color] Noah said, smirking.

[color=0073d8][b]“That’s fine, I’ll go easy on you.”[/b][/color] JD said with a playful smile. He got up from the couch and went to fetch a pair of controllers. Whatever the last game he had been playing would be what they would play. It was probably some form of Call of Duty. He sat back down on the couch, and turned on the TV. Before actually starting the game, however, he looked over to Noah. Feeling incredibly nervous, Dixon subconsciously began to chew at his lip ring. Despite what Noah had said earlier about not ‘like’ liking him, JD remembered what Jareth had said about taking risks, and also about apologizing. [color=0073d8][b]“There’s… something I wanted to say first. I’m sorry I yelled at you the other night, when you… touched my hair. It’s just…”[/b][/color] Fuck, this was hard. Dixon broke eye contact momentarily for the next part, [color=0073d8][b]“You can do it again, if you want. I promise I won’t yell.”[/b][/color]

Sirens wailed in Noah’s head. Was this happening? What did that even mean? [i][color=0073d8]“You can do it again, if you want.”[/color][/i] What? What? [b][i]What?[/i][/b] Blushing furiously, Noah looked down at the couch, unsure of what to do. After what felt like centuries of silence and sexual tension, Noah reached out and brushed JD’s hair out of his eyes, and brought his head up to meet them, his skin still crimson.

Dixon braced himself following his own invitation, remembering what had happened last time. Bracing himself didn’t work though, it only served to turn his stomach into one huge knot. It happened again, just like electricity was running through his skin. The hair on his arms rose up in goosebumps and shudders ran from the hair that Noah touched, all the way down his spine. He couldn’t yell again, he promised he wouldn’t, but he had to do [i]something[/i] about this. It felt like he was going to explode. Without thinking it through, or even thinking at all, JD leaned forward and pressed his lips against Noah’s.

[color=0073d8][i]Oh... shit.[/i][/color] Dixon’s head spun. This wasn’t his first kiss, but it felt like it. He’d never been so terrified before. Nothing scared Johnny Dixon, not until right this moment. He pulled his lips away fractionally, wondering if this was even okay. What if Noah was telling the truth and [i]didn’t[/i] like him?

Noah blinked. Once. Twice. His mouth was frozen, lips parted as if JD’s were still pressed against them. His whole body tingled with the remnants of the kiss, the amazingly perfect first kiss. After a moment, Noah came to his senses, and saw JD, less than an inch from him, so close he could smell the intoxicating mixture of deodorant and body spray that had taunted him since he’d met this boy. Without any warning, Noah bridged the gap, locking his lips against JD’s, sending sparks throughout his body, turning him inside out.

Instinctively, JD dropped the controller he had been holding and instead brought his hand up to Noah’s neck to pull him closer. The other boy’s hands were still tangled in his hair, sending waves of desire and uncontrollable hormones through Dixon’s whole body. This felt so incredibly good, he didn’t want it to ever stop. Wrapped up in the passion and lust, JD didn’t hear them… footsteps coming up the stairs. He didn’t hear them until they were right outside his door. Like he’d been electrocuted, Dixon shot up from the couch, feeling himself lose a few strands of hair in untangling himself from Noah so quickly. 

In the doorway stood a short, tattoo-covered punk of a man. Lucas had his mouth open to speak, but paused to take in this awkward scene. This strange boy, on his son’s couch. His son, standing up with [i]very[/i] distinct sex hair. The TV being stuck on a game intro screen. Luke looked suspiciously from the strange “new friend”, over to Dixon, squinting knowingly. [color=d8bb00][b]“Spawn. New [i]friend[/i].”[/b][/color] He greeted curtly to both before turning his gaze entirely on his son. [color=d8bb00][b]“Get your asses downstairs and pick out what chinese you want. Your mom’s being a cranky bitch because she’s hangry. Like, real bad, might turn into a praying mantis situation.”[/b][/color]

Dixon, recovering from the shock of almost being caught in the act of kissing a [i]boy[/i], glared quizzically at his father. [color=0073d8][b]“A [i]what[/i]?”[/b][/color]

[color=d8bb00][b]“Praying mantis’, kid. The chicks bite their mates’ heads off after they fuck, it’s totally metal.”[/b][/color] Luke said with a chuckle and turned to head back downstairs, slapping the doorframe on his way out.

[color=0073d8][b]“Eww.”[/b][/color] Dixon responded with a sigh. Well, that explained why his parents were nowhere to be found when they got there.

Noah stayed seated on the couch, blushing even more than he had been before. He had really almost been caught kissing JD, by JD’s fucking parents, who by the way, were vampires. Noah was sure of that after seeing his dad. Standing up after a moment, he remained silent, looking at JD with a look of pure mortification. He wished he were a praying mantis right now so something could bite his head off. 

Now that his dad was gone, Dixon looked back at Noah for the first time since they kissed. [color=0073d8][b]“You lied.”[/b][/color] Dixon said in a stern, accusatory manner. He then flicked his head so most of his hair flew back into place. Messy, but intentionally messy, just how he liked it. Letting go of the stern countenance, the corner of his mouth lifted up in a flirtatious smirk as he held a finger to his lips. The message was clear — pretend like this never happened.[/indent][/indent]