Just a Game

Roman sat down at one of the desks in the massive library, opening his Spellcraft book to a random page. He bent over it, trying to concentrate on the words in front of him so he'd look busy and no one would bother him. At least, that was his plan.

He was hiding here in the hopes that the older kids were too stupid to come near a library, but it was a feeble chance, at best. The only thing he could do now is try to blend in with the furniture. He slid down in his chair an inch or two, his heart beating in his ears.

The door opened, and Roman shut his eyes. He concentrated as hard as he could on staying absolutely still. Maybe... just maybe... no one would notice he was there.

He had a feeling this year was going to suck.

Feliks wandered the halls, looking for anyone to torment. It had been a slow day, and he was really in need of some good fun.

Smirking slighlty he turned towards the library. If anyone worth getting would be hiding somewhere....

Opening the door slowly, he smirked at the head sinking down at the table. Jackpot - his favourite little third year.

Walzing up to the table, he smacked the kid on the back of the head before stealing the book from him and flopping in the chair across from him.

"So what are we learning today Ritter?"

Roman felt a sharp jolt on the back of his head accompanied by a muted clapping sound. He looked up, slightly dizzy, to see none other than Feliks.

"Nothing," he said quickly. He scrambled to pick up his other books, "I was just about to leave." He glanced up for a moment at the stolen book, deciding to just leave it and buy another one later.

Maybe Feliks will keep it and actually learn something for once. The thought brought on an involuntary smirk, which Roman tried to cover up with a cough. Turning around, he started to half-run, half-walk away from the fourth year.

Feliks smiled slightly, an with a flick of his wand sent a near by table sliding into the boys path.

"Now, now Junior, we just go started, can't go leaving before all of the ... fun starts now can we?"

He narrowed his eyes, leaning back in his chair, feeling completely ate easy, and twirling his wand. The boy wouldn't be getting away unless Feliks let him.

"We can start with that smirk of yours; don't think I didn't see it. Whats so funny Ritter?"

Roman saw the table too late, and ran straight into it, causing him to lose his balance and trip onto the table. He caught himself with the palms of his hands. Pushing himself back up, he turned to face Feliks, not even trying to hide the anger in his face. Kids like this... they made him feel so helpless, so embarrassed. There was nothing he hated more.

"Nothing..." he was about to leave it at that, but the thought of humiliating himself like that made his blood boil. He wasn't about to go down without a fight. Roman looked up at the boy with a defiant grin, "It just makes me so happy when I remember how much of a moron you are."

Feliks just leaned back in his chair and smirked.

"Seems to be something in you're way, Junior."

The older boy causally flipped through the book, rather enjoying himself until he heard that word.

He froze, and looked up at the boy.

"What did you say Ritter? I was quite sure I heard you completely. Care to repeat that?"

"I said you're an idiot!" His voice echoed through the silent library, turning the heads of a few students.

A far off "shush" came from the back corner, but he knew no one was actually going to do anything. They never did.

"Now give me my book back." He quietly searched his pocket for his wand, but there was nothing there but lint and half of a dried-up quill. Roman was beginning to regret his tenacity.

"Well now," Feliks gaze was blank as he looked at the boy, his jaw clenching. "I would give you the book back, except I think I might be too much of an Idiot to know how."

Slowly he pushed himself out of his chair, and walked up so he was right infront of the boy, a slow smirk growing on his face.

"Now," he said slowly, "What shall we do? What shall we do? Got any ideas Ritter? You know I saw you with that pretty little blonde girl - cute if you like the petite sort; Hansoff something isn't she? Bet you like her a lot don't you? Would rather be talking to her than me? I think I would... even if I'm so charming."

Watching Feliks's gaze turn stony, Roman felt his heart plummet through the floor. That blank expression read exactly what he was thinking,

I'm dead. I am so, so dead.

He would have run away from the hulking figure that was approaching him, but he found himself unable to move, as if he had been caught with a full body-bind curse.

At the mention of Faye, the defiant fire returned to his eyes, "Shut up... don't- you... you can't... Just shut up!" He knew Feliks was trying to get him upset, but he didn't care. Nor did he care that he was completely defenseless right now without a wand.

But Feliks couldn't talk about Faye. He and Faye belonged to two completely separate worlds, as opposite as heaven and hell. If Feliks brought her into this... What if- what if he tried to hurt her?

Feliks smirked at the boy, "Strick a nerve did I? And what can't I do? Talk to her? Look at her? Touch Her? You know... I always wanted someone to do my work for me. She looks like a smart one, easy to intimidate too I bet, always hiding away like that. She's not bad to look at either."

He leaned closer, and smiled.

"After all, I'm such an idiot, I must not be able to do my own work."

Any comprehensive thoughts in Roman's head were lost when it was overtaken by a swarm of emotion. Without knowing exactly what he was doing, Roman grabbed a book from the table behind him.

"If you EVER lay a hand on my girlfriend," he yelled, chucking the book at his head, "I'll... I'll..." His senses suddenly came back to him, "Oh, crap."The boy took a few instinctive steps back in fear, then dashed away from him and in between two massive bookcases.

Feliks blinked, sidetracked, and mildly impressed by the anger he had produced.

Of course, then he showed the nomral, rational reaction, and took off. A good thing too. Cause impressed or not, he had a reputation to protect here.

The older boy followed his 'companinon' at a leasurely pace. Smiling as he found him, hiding behidn some books.

Slowly, he walked over, and picked the boy up by his collar, enjoying the way he just... had to dangle there.

"I must say, not bad Ritter, not bad. Granted, kind of made pixie a little more tempting to ... play... with but, I'm a man of limitied time, an you're right here."

"What. Are. We. going. to. play. today?"

Roman hung limply from his hands, finally accepting his fate. He might as well not waste his energy on trying to run away. But if he was going to go down, he would go down fighting

He opened his mouth to say something, then ended up coughing, breathing in a particle of dust from the old, worn books. Finally though, he managed to get the words out, "Screw you, Chmerkovskiy."

Feliks smirked, "Such courage in the face of doom; I suppose you do our house pride sometimes Ritter."

He tilted his head, and sighed.

"But I am a busy man and have things to do sooo," rolling his shoulder back, he pulled back his fist, and made satisfying contact with the boys jaw. Smirking he let go of the boy, allowing him to catch himself, and turned with a smirk.

"See you around Ritter."

A shooting pain went through Roman's jaw as he crashed to the floor, making himself horribly dizzy as his head made contact with the thin carpet.

Instead of clearing up after a few moments, his vision just got fuzzier and fuzzier, until everything was a hazy blur.

There was something in his mouth that tasted slimy and metallic. Almost like... like....

Everything went black.

Faye's little feet made muffled clicking noises as she padded her way along the library. She had a stalk of books in her arms, almost too big for her to carry, and yet she was still looking for more. It suddenly seemed as if it was becoming an obsession, finding anything she could about her illness. She should possible cut back, but it was starting to feel like the only way she could handle it.

As she turned the corner, she froze as she saw a form on the ground. Her eyes widened slightly, as her natural nuturing insticts kicked in.

"Oh my," she breathed scurrying over, "Are you al-Roman?!"

Her books and illness were dropped as all was forgotten in her panic over the boy in front of her. She ran the remaining distanct, and flopped onto the ground, not really caring that she had probably bruised her knees in the process.

"Roman?" her voice shook slightly as she brushed some hair out of the boy's face, he was unconsious. Hesitantly, scared she'd make something worse, she picked him up slightly and slide closer until his head was on her lap. Was that... Blood coming from his mouth?! "Uh! Help? Somebody get a professor -or-or... help?!"

"You'll be alright," she promised in a soft whisper, kissing his forehead. Slowly she pulled out her wand, unsure if the only spell she was confident she could do without making things worse, would do anything... but she had to try something.

"Episkey."

Roman's eyes opened when he felt like there was hot water in his mouth. He became fairly confused once the water turned icy, then he discovered there was no water at all. He blinked in surprise, a sore feeling in his cheek.

There was someone standing, no, sitting, above him. He blinked again, trying to focus on them.... her... Faye. "Hi," he said, attempting a smile against the pain in his jaw, "Do all angels look like Faye? Or is it just you?"

Faye jumped to alertness as she saw the boy's eyes flutter open, a smile fluttering across her face even as her brown eyes remained worried.

"Hey yourself," she whispered, unable to raise her voice even if she wanted to. She felt like someone was forcing her to whisper. She let out a little laugh, hanging head slight. "No Angels - sorry to disappoint; just plan old normal Faye."

Reaching down, she softly carrassed his jaw, which is obviously what was injured, trying to be careful not to cause more pain, "What happened?"

Roman smiled weakly, "That's more than enough for me." He tried to raise his head, but it was as if he were made of cement. Besides, he didn't exactly have the energy to move right now. He coughed again, breathing in some of the dust on the floor.

He frowned, "Umm... Someone punched me."

Faye's brow furrowed in concern as he began to cough.

"You need to go to the Infirmery," she said softly. "They can get you all fixed up there, and then you'll be good as new."

Her face feel into a deep frown.

"Who? Why? Roman you weren't-" she bit her lip and shook her head. She was going to ask if he was fighting again, but changed her mind. This wasn't a fight, it was... "They all just need to leave you alone. Why can't everyone just leave each other alone."

Roman continued to wear that blank, half smile as he watched Faye talk. She was so pretty...

"Oh, yeah, infirmary," he muttered, mentally forcing himself to a somewhat-alert state. He pushed himself up to a sitting position. Almost immediately, he felt dizzy and the edges of his vision went all black, "Good idea."

He laughed softy, "They're just jealous. Besides," he started picking at some loose shreds of rubber on his shoe, "I only need to wait... uhh... four years, and they'll have graduated." Roman tried to give her a reassuring smile.

The odd look on his face was starting to scare her. Although he was making converstation with her he didn't really seem to focus on much. She tilted her head as he started to sit up, hovering around like she expected him to fall back down again.

"Can you walk?" she bit her lip. She wanted to get him there ASAP, but she certainly did not think he looked up for walking, and as much as she wanted to, she doubted she could actually carry him being as small as she was. "Cause its all the way across the school."

She sighed and shuffled over, kissing his cheek softly, "But how many more times can they punch you in four years."

"Walk?" Roman scoffed, "Of course I can walk." It was only one punch after all, and he'd been knocked out plenty of times before. This was nothing... right?

He grabbed onto the bookshelf and pulled himself up without too much trouble, "See? I'm fine." He smiled as the dizziness came back and the his vision went black again, and he stumbled to the side, catching himself on the shelf again.

"I think the better question is: How many times can they punch me before I'm stronger than they are?"

Faye gave him a skeptical look which turned into one of mothering concern when he fell into the bookshelf.

"No you're not," she huffed grumpily getting up off the ground and pulling him away from the bookshelf and leaning some of his weight on herself. "But we're going walking anyways."

She shook her head as she started to go forward, "If the answer is once, its too many."

Roman smiled as she helped him walk, giving her a kiss on the cheek, "You know, you're the sweetest person ever and I love you." He gave a small giggle.

He looked at her with a hint of concern, "You do know that, right?"

Roman shook his head, "You're right. But what can I do? It's not like I can cast a spell and just make them leave me alone," A mischievous glint came into his eyes, "Actually..."