I Don't Date Guys
Edward: The morning after Sansa and Moril's combined name/birthday party, Edward was surprised to find himself once again up with the sun. Despite the fact that things with Al had seemed fine, atleast for a couple of hours, he wasn't feeling any more at ease with things. They hadn't worked through anything, they'd merely pretended that it didn't exist for a while, for Moril and Sansa's sake; and possibly, for each other. The party itself had overall been nice enough, with plenty of food, but Edward found that he was in fact getting sick of these social gatherings.
A walk would do him good, or so he thought. There wasn't much else to do this early in the day. If nothing else, it would either wake him up properly, or tire him enough to go back to sleep for a few hours. He didn't care which, or where his feet took him. He just placed one in front of the other, hands in his pockets, eyes fixed on the ground.
Will: Will was on the beach as usual, facing the ocean in the lotus position as he took slow, measured breaths. His eyes were closed and his expression peaceful, a small smile teasing about his lips.
Edward: If Edward had been paying closer attention, he might have noticed Will before he was less than three feet away from him. As it was, by the time his mind had processed the combination of Will's position and his own path of movement, he stopped just short of stepping on him, or whatever sort of reaction may have come from walking straight into someone sitting on the beach. Edward swung his foot back, staggering a couple of steps in reverse. "Ah, sorry," he said without thinking.
Will: Will flinched as the backpedalling flung sand up into his cheek, then slowly turned and looked up. "Ed!" It took him a few moments to untangle his legs and then he leapt to his feet, biting his lip worriedly. "...How are you?" he asked, his voice gentle and sympathetic. He liked Moril, but really. Even a birthday wasn't an excuse for treating Ed as he'd done.
Edward: Edward blinked wide eyes at Will. He'd expected him to eprhaps he a bit irritated by the interruption, for them to exchange a few words, and for him to be on his way. Clearly, Will had other ideas, and both his expression and tone had Edward just a bit confused.
"Ah... Mm... Okay, I guess. Sorry about the sand."
Will: "Don't worry about it," Will said quickly, stepping close and reaching out to touch Ed's shoulder. "Are you sure you're okay?"
Edward: At this, Edward raised one slender golden eyebrow. Not that he minded the touch, or the general closeness, but something was clearly off. "Yeah. Well, I mean, as okay as I can be."
Will: Will nodded in understanding, biting his lip. "He shouldn't have done that to you, in front of everyone," he said quietly, and then sighed.
Edward: Edward's expression went from quizical, to downright confused. His worries tucked themselves neatly in the back of his mind, replaced by the more immediate situation.
"...Will... what the fuck are you talking about?"
Will: Will blinked, taking a half-step back. "A-at the party. Moril...and Luna," he stammered, frowning. That certainly hadn't been the reaction he'd expected.
Edward: Edward eyed Will strangely, and crossed his arms. "I'm not sure I'm following what you're saying. What'd they do, exactly?"
Will: "Well...I mean, they were snogging. Right in front of you," Will explained. Ed had to have seen. "Don't get me wrong, I like Moril and all, but I'd think he'd be more sensitive toward your feelings, if he was going to..." He didn't want to say 'dump'. Wouldn't. "Flaunt his new relationship," he finished weakly.
Edward: Edward watched and listened to Will's explanation with a bit of apprehension. He wasn't sure what exactly 'snogging' meant, but seeing as he had seen Moril and Luna, he gathered it was some british slang for 'kissing'. And of course Edward had seen them. It was only after that, that he had really gotten what Moril meant when he said he liked Luna.
"Well... It was a little public," Edward admitted, and flushed a bit in embaressment. What sort of guy actually cared about when or where other people kissed each other. "but he can do whatever he wants. Doesn't really matter how I feel."
What Edward wanted to know was why Will cared whether it mattered what he thought or not.
Will: "Oh, Ed," Will said sympathetically, and pulled him into a hug. "You don't have to say that to me. I know it must've been hard for you to watch." He wanted to make Ed understand that he was willing to listen, to comfort and commisserate. "...I didn't even know you'd broken up."
Edward: He was a bit surprised by the embrace. Confused by the tone in Will's voice. But he was possitively floored by the last of his statements. Edward sputtered and went rigid, pushing hismelf back from Will. "Whoa, whoa, Wait-- what the hell do you mean 'broke up'?"
Will: Will staggered back, biting his lip. "...You and Moril. I mean, if he's with Luna now...have you not broken up?" Perhaps they had decided to have a relationship similar to Horatio's relationship with Fraser and Ray. "I assumed that was why you looked so down..."
Edward: Edward was beginning to wonder if 'broke up' was some kind of british slang for having a falling out, or a fight, or if he really...
Naw, Wil couldn't possibly mean broke up, like a couple breaks up. That was ridiculous!
He studied Will's face for a moment. "Look, Will." Edward rested a hand firmly on the other boy's shoulder. "I dunno what it's like where you're from, or what kind of arrangements people have.... but just because Moril has a.. a girlfriend, or whatever.." he was flushing again, damnit, why did talking about that sort of thing do that to him? "It's not like we'd stop being friends, or stop living together. Nothing's changed..."
Still, he wasn't quite sure the message was getting across properly.
Will: "...Oh. Well. That's...a relief," Will answered, smiling faintly. "So...d'you like Luna too, then? Or is it...different?" He supposed something like that was possible, with Moril being with both of them. So long as no one was getting hurt, Will didn't much mind. Whatever worked for them, really.
Edward: "She's nice...." he started hesitantly. "A little strange, but..."
Edward stopped, and was silent for a long moment. One could almost see the gears turning behind those intense golden eyes. He took everything that Will had said, disected it, rearranged it, and still came up confused.
Fuck it, he thought to himself, before he finally spoke. "Will, just what, exactly..." No, that wasn't right, "Aw, hell, just... what is going on in your head right now, because I am really fucking confused right now."
Will: Will held up his hands placatingly, giving him a weak grin. "Look, you don't owe me any explanations, mate. If you're happy and Moril's happy and Luna's happy...I'm not going to judge, I promise. You're still my friends. All of you."
Edward: Edward wouldn't exactly say he was happy, but he was certain that Moril had nothing to do with his currently mental state. He crossed his arms again, narrowing his eyes at Will. "No, really. I wanna know. I mean, what made you think it would bother me if Moril got a girlfriend."
Will: "I didn't mean to assume," Will answered, worried that he'd offended Ed. He would be upset if James were to take up with someone else, but there were so many cultures on the island, from so many worlds...he should have thought of that. "It was careless of me."
Edward: "Really, it's okay," replied Edward, trying to be reassuring, but perhaps just coming off a bit forceful, and bit more frustrated. "I just wanna know what it is you're assuming."
Maybe in his world, people who lived together had to approve of boyfriends and girlfriends? He'd heard the people in Xing were kinda like that... everyone you knew had to approve of your choice.
Will: "I just assumed you'd be upset. I know I would be if the bloke I was dating took up with someone else," Will explained calmly, with a shrug. "I didn't think that things might be different, where you're from."
Edward: Edwards reaction was a pair of wide eyes, eyebrows drawn together, and an odd sort of sputtering before he finally cried out his one-word reply. "DATING?!"
Will: Will's stomach tightened and he nodded nervously. "...Aren't you?"
Edward: "NO!" Edward shouted, though he hadn't really intended to.
Shit, Will thought he was dating Moril! "I don't date guys!"
Will: Will paled, then looked away. "Oh. I--I'm sorry," he whispered, and bent, gathering his things quickly, his face turning from white to red.
Edward: It seemed like Edward was destined to be confused as all hell when it came to Will, and relationships. He'd seen the english boy moping over problems with Bran, heard him talk about liking the same person as his brother, and seen him ready to give up completley on that same person.
It had never really crossed Ed's mind that that person might be a guy. "Uh... Did I... say something wrong?" he asked hesitantly, his voice more calm and collected this time.
Will: Will shook his head firmly, not trusting his voice. There was no bloody way he was going to tell Ed why he was upset. Not right now, and possibly not ever. Not after that reaction.
He clutched his shirt and a bottle of water to his chest, staring at a spot about two feet to the right of Ed, cheeks flaming. "I'm...forgot something I need to do," he mumbled, backing away.
Edward: "If... you're sure..."
Edward was prone to mood swings. Violent swings at that. One second he'd been sputtering in disbeleif, and the next he was instantly deflated and wondering what he'd done wrong. And there would be no convincing him that he hadn't done anything wrong, not after that akward exchange.
Will: Will was already turning away, fumbling to pull his t-shirt back on over his head. He'd come back in a bit, after Ed was gone, to meet Abby. He just couldn't face him a moment longer just now. Not only had he made a fool of himself, he'd also found out that he'd have to keep his relationship with James a secret, at least from Ed--which meant from everyone he lived with, as well. He started tracing mental pathways as he walked away, head down. He'd have to find Dairine and ask her not to say anything...
Edward: Edwards shoulders sagged, and he watched after will curiously. He didn't get it. What had he said? Was it the way he said it? It shouldn't have been a big deal that he misinterpreted something, right? He'd the set the record straight, it wasn't a big deal, Will had just caught him off guard, and...
And Will was out of earshot before Edward realized it, and he whispered, more to himself. "What was that all about...?"