Fifth floor common room [Tuesday afternoon]

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

It had been snowing and Four was from a place where snow was, you know, normal. So he'd gone out on a nice, normal run (because he was a nice, normal guy) and had run into Fandom and all of its color-spattering evil snow glory.

Which explained why his pants and hair was a few different colors and his shirt was gone (and he had a red splash on the back of his neck where a snowflake had made it down his sweatshirt).

He was making hot chocolate to deal with the chill. Laundry would come next.

Comments

[not_every_mage]

"I think the word you're looking for is 'bald,'" Anders said, with a laugh in his voice as he tried to imagine it. "You're right, though. Bald and with a blue-and-green tinted scalp probably isn't the best look for -- well, for anyone. But you have to admit it'd be interesting."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"Would it ever be something you seriously did?" Nathan wondered curiously. "Maybe if you got...gum in your hair?"

[not_every_mage]

"Maybe if there was so much gum that snipping it out would look worse," Anders said, equally thoughtful. "Or if the only way to survive was by blending in with some head-shaving cult. Not otherwise, I don't think. Why, would you?"

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"I don't think so," he said, rubbing a hand through his hair. "Not without a very good reason. But, I don't think I'd grow it longer either."

He paused.

"Though, a shaved head would make it harder for people to...grab my hair if they were chasing me."

Sad he had to think about that.

[not_every_mage]

"Mine does make grabbing a little easier," Anders admitted grimly, with a possessive pat of his ponytail. "But probably I'd lose anyhow if someone was already that close."

He couldn't imagine cutting his hair much shorter than his jaw; it would just be wrong.

"I can picture you with longer hair more easily than with a shaved head," he added. "But it suits you the length it is."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

Nathan ran another hand through his hair.

"I think it'd tickle my neck if it were too much longer," he said thoughtfully, patting the back of his neck. "If I get a hair there or something touches me there, it makes me shiver."

[not_every_mage]

Anders eyed him slowly. "Good shiver or bad shiver?"

He would have tested instead of asking, but, well, Rapunzel. And Four.

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"Depends on who or what causes it," Nathan said after some thought. "Could be either."

[not_every_mage]

"We need to test the specifics," Anders informed him. "I'm not sure why, exactly, but I'm sure it would be crucial information for someone. Probably me."

If Nathan wasn't so Nathan about things sometimes, there probably would have been a query as to whose room was free at the end of that particular statement. Anders was trying to at least somewhat behave himself.

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"You want to see what kind of shivers that might get me?" Nathan asked, catching on. Somewhat.

[not_every_mage]

(Oh thank the maker for that catching on.)

"Exactly," Anders confirmed. "Which leads to the very important question of whether we should go to your room or chance that Rapunzel will stay in here for a while." A beat. "Or the research could wait for another time."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

Nathan didn't answer immediately because he was too busy trying not to smile at Anders.

"You're really eager, aren't you?" It wasn't said to mock or tease. He was pleased. Fascinated, almost.

[not_every_mage]

Anders chuckled deep in his throat at the pleased tone.

"No more than anyone else who'd been dating someone he is completely besotted with for three months," he protested lightly. "The strange thing would be if I left you alone."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"Not strange," Nathan said, shaking his head. "Possibly sad and a little lonely? Maybe that, yeah."

[not_every_mage]

Anders smiled ruefully. "When you say things like that, I don't even mind being turned down. Much."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"I wasn't turning you down," Nathan told him, shaking his head. "Sorry if it sounded that way. It wasn't what I meant."

[not_every_mage]

"It wasn't?" The same eagerness came out again in a teasing grin, averting what had threatened to become a sulk. "Well, then, that's even better,"

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"Sorry again," Nathan said, smiling a bit. "I was saying that I'd be sad if you left be alone. And lonely. Not that you would."

[not_every_mage]

"I would, though," Anders protested. "Leaving you alone would mean not talking to you, and that makes mesad andlonely."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"Well..." He reached out and lightly touched Anders' wrist since they were in public and all. "Don't be sad."

[not_every_mage]

Anders smiled a bit, watching the slim fingers against his skin. "It's becoming less likely."

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"Good." Nathan kept his fingers where they were for just a second longer before his hand dropped back to his side. "I've been there, done that. It's not fun. You talk to yourself or think too much."

[not_every_mage]

"I know what you mean. And I don't know about you, but when I start thinking too much I always end up on these horrible paths about how everything in the world is wrong," Anders told him. "I'd rather avoid it."

He was sincere, but the remaining warmth on his wrist kept him from sounding toodire about it all.

[halfbad.livejournal.com]

"Happens to me too," Nathan told him, nodding. "Too much time inside your own head is a...well, it's a frightening place sometimes."

[not_every_mage]

"I suppose it's only fair," Anders mused. "Outside world can be frightening. Why should inside our heads be any safer?"