standsonhigh | High school AU open post

"Has Tom run out of ideas or do you guys just get super turned on by stripping me? I get it, I have a pretty nice body. But it's starting to get a little old," Koschei teased, defiantly making a move to button up his jacket just to make a point. He'd spent as long as he could trying to avoid this lot and they still found him. Hours hiding in the library for no reason.

He didn't want to lose his clothes, not again, but he couldn't let it show that this was starting to get to him. "I'm not stripping for any of you."

"Aren't you? Quick, someone go get Barty."

That was of course met with cheering and crude comments, although when someone actually started to run off Rodolphus called out to him. "Don't bother, he's with Tom. Let's just strip the ugly bastard."

Now it took only seconds before Koschei was pinned to the ground and getting his clothes just about ripped off his body until he was once more in nothing but his underwear. Pictures were made as his hands were tied behind his back and as if on cue, it started to rain.

"Oh shut you, you're just jealous Tom likes Barty more than you," Koschei shot back, trying to ignore how much this all hurt. Why was Barty with Tom? He knew what Tom had done and he was still with him? The bastard had been responsible for all the misery in his life and yet Barty wanted to be near him. To be his friend. Maybe more. He didn't want to think about it, the thought was sickening and the anger burnt inside him. Not only did he hate tom, he hated Barty for being with him.

When the first drop of rain hit him, he knew this could only end badly. Hence why he struggled against the boys with a renewed drive.

"Okay, game over, it's raining. That has to be an end game. I'll get sick if you don't give me back my clothes," Koschei insisted, as if any of them actually gave a damn. "Seriously, this isn't funny. Untie me now or -- or you're in trouble."

"Actually, forecast says it's raining all night," Rodolphus informed him nicely, before grabbing his hair and pressing his face into the grass until he stopped struggling quite that vigorously. "It's your lucky day. And don't worry. Far as I know Tom's not exactly proving how much he likes Barty right now, if you know what I mean, so I think I'm winning."

He stood up and gestured to the other boys to let go of him. "Get up, bastard."

Koschei felt his stomach drop at the idea of someone using Barty like that, oh being able to be near him when he couldn't. Tom had crossed the line a long time ago and he shouldn't of let him keep going. He shouldn't of given him what he wanted and hurt Barty like that, not when he had a chance to steal something so wonderful away from him. With a face full of mud, Koschei rolled onto his back and struggled rather openly to get up. He didn't exactly have any good grip to get himself up any further.

A few of the boys grabbed him and hauled him up eventually, letting him stand alone with his bare feet on the ever soaking ground. It was freezing, horrible and wet, he really didn't want to get stuck out here all night. Not when he knew somewhere Tom was getting his hands on Barty like that.

"You can't keep me out here," Koschei said firmly, as if he had the power to order them around. "Let me go. Now. This is beyond a joke, I've had enough. Stop dicking about and untie me."

"Seriously? After all we've been through, you think I'd stop at letting you stand in the rain for a while?" Rodolphus was clearly in a much better mood as Barty as he finished tying what looked like a noose and put it around Barty's neck. "That's lovely. Let's get you settled."

He was pushed over to a tree, the end of the rope around his neck thrown over a branch just above them. "Ready? Stop worrying about your boyfriend, twerp, and pay attention."

"What are you doing?" Kosche asked as he eyed the noose they slipped around his neck. Oh God, were they actually going to kill him now? Okay, well played, now he was scared. He renewed his struggling again, trying to get away from the tree he'd been shoved into. It hardly stopped them from getting the rope around the branch but at least he tried.

"Jesus, you can't do this! This is illegal," Koschei cried out in disbelief, tugging at the noose around his neck. He really didn't want to die at this school without at least getting some kind of revenge. "This is crossing a line now, untie me or else!"

"You know why I'm not gagging you? Because I think the fuss you make is funny." Rodolphus pulled on the rope, tied it off only after making sure that Koschei was only on his toes and ruffled his hair. "Hope you're good at keeping your balance."

He grinned as he stepped back, more pictures being taken of the scared, almost naked boy hanging from a noose in the rain. "You wanted to throttle Tom, didn't you? You really had it coming."

"You have no idea how dangerous this is! Are you insane?" Koschei cried out with an edge of hysteria, trying to keep on his tip toes so he didn't choke. His legs were already aching from the effort and the rain was starting to pick up, getting heavier and harder. He was already wetter than he cared to be and the mud going slippy wouldn't help his balance.

"You can't actually leave me here," The indignation was clear as he stood there, helpless, unable to actually do anything. If he so much as struggled, the rope would jerk awkwardly and almost strangle him. The anger inside him actually hurt now, it was so desperate to get out. He couldn't handle this much longer. "I'm going to kill him. And you. I'm going to kill you both and I'm going to take my time with it. Because you've earn it, you bastard."

"I will actually leave you here. And I know how dangerous this is. As far as I'm concerned, I hope this is the last time I have to hear your miserable voice." Rodolphus stepped closer again, grabbing Koschei's hair and making him look at him. "Now, say 'thank you' and I won't kick you knee and punch you in the stomach. How's that for getting to live a while longer?"

He knew very well that a wrongly timed punch or kick could actually lead to his death and he didn't know what to do. To say thank you would take everything he believed in away from him and frankly, that was all he had any more. Tom had taken everything away from him but his pride. Taking a deep sharp breath, he purposefully looked away, tip toes bracing for what would happen next. "Just leave me alone, you moronic idiot."

"There is nothing funnier but you being this scared, you know that?" In the end, Rodolphus just laughed and ruffled Koschei's hair, not hurting him before him and the others headed back to the castle, still jeering and laughing and leaving Koschei behind to struggle to keep his balance.

Hours passed before anyone came close to this side of the lake again. It was raining, after all.

"Well, if you could see the stars tonight it'd be amazing, Really." Theta was trying his best to convince Rose, who seemed less skeptical and more cold and wet.

"Theta, this is nice and all but --" Well, she was wet and she really wanted to get back inside. Theta had a lovely enthusiasm for so much and that could be infectious but no one really wanted to go on a romantic walk in the pouring rain with the wind viciously blowing it in their faces.

She was about to gently break it to him that she didn't actually want to look at the stars in this weather when she noticed the oddest sight just ahead. One that killed the very tiny shred of romance left this evening.

Was there a kid hanging from that tree?... Oh no, he wasn't dead, was he? Because that was not a good way to end a first date, finding a suicide victim. "Erm ... Theta?"

"Hm?" Theta had not noticed anything, because he was busy staring up at the sky despite the fact that he couldn't even see a thing and had to keep blinking when his eyes were hit with raindrops. However, when Rose said his name he looked around and then he frowned, grabbing her hand and running toward the figure hanging from the tree.

"Koschei?!" To his credit, he at least sounded suitably alarmed and immediately wrapped an arm around his friend to hold him up. "What are you doing?"

"I'm having a picnic," Koschei stuttered out sarcastically, trembling so hard by this point that his voice jittered the whole way through. His toes slid in the mud, trying to keep a grip so he didn't accidentally get choked again. It had happened only once, earlier on, when he'd slipped and his throat had taken quite a nasty choking which had rendered his voice a little hoarse. "Get me down."

His legs were killing from being tensed this whole time, he was completely soaked and his underwear were just plastered to him. And it was very hard to stay still and unstrangled when his body was shaking as much as it was.

Turning his head, he gave the girl with Theta a very strange look. What the hell was this idiot doing now? A date in the rain? He was thankful for the rescue but really? With a defeated sigh, he just tried his best to get as close to Theta's warm body as possible while he was undone. His own was ice cold.

"Er. Right, right. We're on it." Theta did his best to undo the knots while also keeping Koschei standing and was glad when Rose helped out, because with one hand he wasn't getting very far. While Rose finished getting the rope around his neck loose, Theta untied his wrists and rubbed his back reassuringly. "Thanks Rose. You're so cold, Koschei..."

He had given his jacket to Rose earlier, or he'd have offered it to Koschei now. "Let's get you inside, quick. Everything will be alright, you'll see. Who did this?"

Koschei just clung to Theta, head pressed protectively against his shoulder, trying to keep close for warmth and to keep himself upright at the same time. That was it, they'd crossed the line so much now that the line was barely in sight. They actually tried to kill him this time, he culd of died. His heart was racing as he staggered along, trying to talk himself out of doing something stupid like running to Tom's room. He could of, it was late and he'd be there, but he could barely keep himself upright.

"Tom," Koschei growled out, teeth clenched in an effort to avoid then chattering. Fortunately one of them had common sense enough to try and get some clothes on Koschei and Rose was soon offering Theta's coat to him in an effort to warm him up a little. "He's actually trying to kill me, Thete."

"Tom?" But although Theta had a hard time believing that, he didn't voice his doubts. Why would Koschei lie about this, anyway? But that could wait, anyway. He rubbed Koschei's back reassuringly, making shushing noises as if he was a little child or an animal, at least until he saw the look Rose threw him, at which point he cleared his throat and straightened up a little.

"Let's go to a teacher. And you need a hot shower."

"No, no teachers, I can handle this," Koschei insisted as he slipped his arms into the jacket, wrapping it around him. Thank God Theta had a stupidly long coat, for once it came in handy. Usually he just got it trapped in doors or left it in a pile in the middle of their room. "Just have your date, I'll be fine. Trust me."

Yep, totally fine. What with him barely able to keep himself upright, trembling unstoppably and covered in mud. Completely fine. He let go of Theta as soon as they reached the doorway, tentatively making his way inside the school, sheer determination keep him upright. He was going to go sit in a hot shower all night, that'd fix this problem. Maybe some time in bed too.

"Don't be silly, Koschei. Rose understands!" Before Koschei could fall over, Theta wrapped an arm around him again and pulled him along. "Rain-check, Rose? I'll show you the stars tomorrow. Maybe we can actually see them then!"

As happy as one could be after a ruined date and rescuing a friend from choking to death - which in Theta's case meant very cheerful, actually - he led him back to their room, chatting to pass the time.

"Rose has never seen a comet, so I wanted to show her one, but it just had to rain, didn't it? I wish I had a key for one of the towers, we could see things much better from up there. Well, if it would just stop raining, at least."

"You're such an idiot," Koschei complained but it came out as a hoarse whisper which went unheard over Theta's ramble. Koschei simply clung to Theta again, leaving muddy foot prints behind him like some sort of epic trail. "It forecast rain, check the weather next time."

He didn't speak much after that, just let Theta yammer on as together they stumbled back to their shared room. Koschei was just glad no one was about to see this, it was quite a show. Once the door was opened, thoughts of a shower were forgotten as he broke away from his room-mate and went straight to his bed, clambering into it, desperate for warmth.

Soaking the bed with his wet and muddy form probably wasn't a good idea but it was so tempting and he couldn't resist. So he was happy to be a freezing lump under his covers for now.

"Well then..." Theta trailed off and shrugged, then rubbed the back of his head and felt useless for a moment or two before announcing that he was just going to go check on Rose and leaving the room again.

Then there was nothing for a long time, until at last Barty reached the door, soaked from the rain himself and knocking rather desperately. He'd seen the trail, at least, which was making him hope that Koschei would actually be here.

"Koschei?!"

Koschei didn't want to get up, he was barely keeping himself awake as it was and the idea of getting out of his bed was a horrible one he couldn't face. So, rather skilfully, he rose from his bed while wrapped in his duvet, clasping it tightly as he ventured unsteadily towards the door.

He must of been delirious, he really must of been. When he opened the door, he could of sworn it was Barty. Like he was sure he'd heard his voice earlier. Why the hell would Barty ever visit him again? Maybe he was hallucinating and this was actually Theta. And it'd be really weird if he called him Barty, Koschei would never live it down. Theta would probably try to set them up or something.

Because of his lack of knowing what to do, he sort of stood there, staring at Barty. Damp, muddy and looking very pale. It had been a rough night, he was allowed to be weird.

Luckily Barty was out of the age where a ghost in a sheet could scare him, but he still needed a moment or two to make sense of everything. Then, of course, he flung himself at Koschei and hugged him tightly, held him as close as he could, perhaps even a bit too tightly, while hiding his face against him.

"I thought you were dead. Fuck, Koschei..." He was only slowly calming down his breathing, obviously having run all the way. "Tom wouldn't let me leave and what he said..."

"They actually tried to kill me," Koschei said bluntly, not returning the hug because that would require dropping the duvet he was so desperately holding onto. Hours standing outside in the rain, on his tip toes, scared he was actually going to die really had take their toll tonight. If he'd of died... everyone would of thought he'd killed himself. He'd be forgotten and ignored, like that, and they'd of gotten away with it. This had stopped being s nagging issue and become a big problem now, the next move could be worse and how could he survive every time?

"They ruined my favourite boxers," Koschei complained, knowing his priorities were very wonky right now but he was just so cold, he couldn't even think any more. This room wasn't actually all that warm and his covers were too well worn to prove that much heat. Barty, on the other hand, was lovely. Like a hot water bottle, actually. He pretty much melted into the other boys hold. "You're so warm, don't let go."

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