Chapter 11

At lunch time, as promised, Art went to find Seiji.

"Coming?" he asked, holding out a hand,

Seiji grinned, "Course,"

Ariadne sauntered over to the lower sixth table. "I think what you did to Phil was perfectly horrid." She turned to Eagle, "Aww, poor Birdie, did you have to get your little friends to stick up for you." She knelt down beside Matt, "Matthew, sweetie, you're so much better than all this rubbish, come sit at our table." She kissed him on the cheek and held out her hand.

Enchanted, Matt took her hand, and followed her to the upper sixth table.

Eagle swore under his breath and looked around for Art. Dammit, he was with Seiji.

Raven, bless her little cotton socks, put her arms around her big brother, "I still love you." she whispered, "Might not be the same, but I do."

Jesus thought Alex how much I'd give to be him right now and then laughed at his own patheticness.

Gym that afternoon was held by Miss Baker, who made the children sit on the floor infront of her.

"Has anyone done any serious gymnastics before?" she asked in her strong birmingham accent.

Mara put up her hand, "I've done a bit, but mostly beam work."

Seiji put his hand up, "I wouldn't call it gymnastics, but you probably would."

"What would you call it then?"

"Basic training." He grinned, "Agility?"

Miss Baker frowned, "Yes, that exactly what Art calls it."

"We have the same master," said Art from the doorway.

"Oh, Hello Art," Miss Baker looked temporarily confused, "Oh yeah," She finally rememberd, "You're coming to observe, aren't you?"

Art grinned, "Yep, must see how my darling pupils are getting on." He grinned evilly at Ally, "They're so dear to me."

"I was just asking the children if they did any gym already." She turned to Seiji, "I'm sorry I don't know your name."

"Seiji,"

"Right then Seiji,"

Seiji winced as her brummy accent murdered his name,

"Show us what you can do."

Seiji looked across at Art for aproval. There was a small click, which most of the year now recognised, "Can I?"

Art shrugged, "Can you do it without them?"

Seiji flexed his arms and the small palm blades slid into place.

Miss Baker laughed, "I don't think you need those dear."

Seiji laughed back, "Oh I think I do." Already barefooted, he bounced up and down a few times to test the sprung floor in the gym. He glanced up and down it, roughly judging the distance he had to work with. He grinned at Art, and took a few paces back, so his back was against the wall. He lifted up one foot, and placed it against a wall, mimicking a sprinter at the starting blocks. He took a deep breath, and ran. After a few steps, he jumped, tucking his legs in did a complete somersault, atleast 5 feet off the ground. He landed on his feet, and without even pausing somersaulted backwards one and a half times, he landed on his hands and switched to a forwards flip, which he followed with a forwards walkover. He then did two backflips and a half backflips, the half meaning he was in a handstand against the wall. He pushed his feet off the wall, spinning around in mid air and started to run for the opposite wall, when he reached the opposite wall, he continued to run, running atleast 8 feet up the wall, before dropping onto his hands, his momentum carrying him into several backflips, back to where the rest of the year were. Sliding his palm knives back into place, he sat down.

Silence

Or atleast, it would have been, had it not been for Art, who was laughing so much the tears were rolling down his cheeks.

"What!" Seiji snapped angrily,

"I was just remembering the time when..." Art trailed off, laughing so much he couldn't breathe.

"It's not funny," Seiji started to sulk, "I could have killed myself that time."

Art looked up through the tears, "You would have done if I hadn't caught you."

Seiji shrugged, "You're just jealous, cause you're not nearly as good as me."

"Right," Miss Baker got her voice back, "I can see we're going to have to teach you to be able to do that, without the help of steel."

"Steel?" Seiji looked offended, "Miss, these are silver handled, Titanium blades, I would never dream of using steel."

Everyone was excused from prep so they could move into their new dorms. This time, Tor was happy to let Fergie have the top bunk...I wonder why.

Fergie lay on his bunk, performing the amazing talent of playing the guitar whilst lying down, this is really hard to do. He was also singing, God Only Knows, by the Beach Boys.

Tor looked up at him and gave him the middle finger.

Fergie paused from his singing, and laughed over his riffs, "You'll give in later, and you know it."

Tor scowled, "Yeah, but I can hate you now, right?"

Fergie ignored him, and went back to singing.

Matt sauntered in, reeking of Ariadne's perfume and wiping her lipstick off his lips.

Raven glared at him, "Where have you been?"

"I was helping Ariadne move her stuff, like a true gentleman."

"Actually," Raven snapped, "If you were a true gentleman you'd have been spending you'd have been spending less time chatting up that bint, and more time helping ME move my stuff."

Ash laughed, "You go for it sister."

Matt scowled at her, and flopped down on his bed, "You're so fucking manly anyway." he muttered.

Every single muscle in Alex's body tensed "What did you say?"

Matt laughed at him, "Aww, someone have a go at your darling. You know Eagle won't let you near her."

Tor looked up from the book he was reading, "I with Alex, you're being a bastard."

"Yeah," Fergie took his brother's side, "Judas,"

Matt shook his head, "You're just all so immature." Luckily, he wasn't beaten up, because the bell rang for supper.

I think a little explanation is needed here. There are three tables in the dining hall: The lower sixth table; the upper sixth table and the staff table. The servents (groundsmen cooks etc) eat afterwards.

Matt automatically went and sat next to Ariadne. In a very similar way to the way Eagle was an honourary L6, Matt had become an honorary U6.

Eagle bit his lip, and took a deep breath. He walked calmly over to the U6 table, and tapped Matt on the shoulder. "Can I talk to you Matty?"

Ariadne stared at him, and then started to laugh, "Sorry Birdie, no losers allowed at this table."

Eagle ignored her. "Matt, a word."

Ariadne turned to Matt, "Don't worry Matthew, go talk to the loserboy, come back in a sec."

Eagle snorted, "Matthew? My God, I haven't heard you called that since," he thought for a second, "Since the time we threw firecrackers into Mrs Gumble Nextdoor's Vegetable patch." he laughed, "God, I hate that woman."

"Fuck off," Matt growled as he stood up to face Eagle, "What do you want?"

"To talk to you," He glanced pointedly at the rest of the upper sixth, "Alone."

Matt shook his head, "Nope, say it now."

Eagle took a deep breath, "I know you sit with those guys out of choice, yuhuh?"

Matt folded his arms, "Get on with it."

"I just want you to know, that although the rest of your year now hate your guts, you can always come back and sit with us, if you so wish."

"Is that it?" Matt turned to sit down, but Eagle caught him by the arm,

"Matty,"

"Yes."

"If you carry on like this, you will destroy Raven. You know that don't you?"

Matt shrugged, "For God's sake Eagle, she's sixteen, she can look after herself."

"Fine, ok then." Eagle let go of his arm, and sat back down.

Ariadne turned to Matt, "Is that what you like to be called, Matty?"

Matt laughed, "God no."

Fergie looked across at Eagle, "What d'ya say that for, we don't really want him here, not after the way he treats you."

Eagle smiled at him, "He's right you know, you all are very young. What do you notice about the upper sixth table."

"Uh, it's full of upper sixths," Alex suggested

"Matt's on it?" Ash supplied.

Seiji groaned, "God, you guys are thick, There's no empty place on it. There wasn't even one before they put Matt there, they gave him an extra chair."

Eagle nodded, "That's right, there's no empty place."

Raven put her arms around her big brother, she understood.

"Soo?" Asked Tor,

"So I can't go back there, even if I wanted to."

Art had appeared behind Seiji, "My room, now," he mouthed at Eagle.

"I know you're there Art," Seiji twisted round to look at him, "And I know what you're saying."

Art winced, "Sorry?" he ventured

"Couldn't care less, in all honesty." Seiji smiled at him, "Go on then, bugger off."

Mrs Hampshire, the dinner lady, came to collect the plates. "Tut tut," she said, "You haven't eaten again Mara," she looked around the table, "Nor have you Seiji."

Seiji looked up at her, "I don't eat."

"Oh Seiji, whyever not? You'll never build yourself up on an empty stomach."

Seiji winced, "I dont eat because I don't want to,"

"WHAT!" Fergie practically exploded. "There's absolutly nothing on you!"

Seiji rolled his eyes, "Yeah, that's what they all say."

Mara laughed, "I'm on Seiji's side, there's no such thing as too thin."

Tor put his arms around her waist, "Don't you start loosing weight, you're perfect already,"

She rolled her eyes, "Yeah right, I need to lose atleast another half stone."

"How much do you weigh?" Nienna asked

Mara blushed, "Far too much,"

"How much?"

"six and a half stone," she mumbled.

Art walked into their new dorm a few minutes before 10, "Bedtime ladies and gentlmen." He turned to Seiji, "You coming?" he asked.

"Nope."

Art knelt down beside Seiji's bed, "I brought you some proper bandages."

"Thanks" Seiji took them without even looking at Art

"Aww, come on Seij, don't be mad with me."

Seiji shrugged, "I think that's fair, if you sleep with him," he nodded in Eagle's direction, "Then you don't sleep with me that day."

Eagle looked up, feeling guilty, "Would it make any difference if I said he didn't actually sleep with me."

Seiji laughed, "Unfortunately no, but only because I know Art so well, I know that would never happen."

Eagle laughed.

Art looked up at Seiji, "I love you."

"So you keep telling me,"

"I'd do anything for you."

Seiji smiled to himself.

"That's stupid." Said Matt, "Would you die for him?"

"Yup," Said Art, without a moment's hesitation.

"Would you kill for him?" Asked Tor,

Seiji laughed, "I think that one's already been covered."

"No seriously Seiji, 'cause I know you don't beleive me when I say I'd do anything. How can I prove it?"

"You'd really do anything?"

"Anything atall."

"Even if you really, really didn't want to."

"Anything."

Seiji grinned, "You do this one thing, then I'll come to bed with you, deal?"

"Deal."

Seiji rolled up the sleeve on his right arm. Seiji left arm, because he's right handed, is covered in scars. He showed Art the virtually scarless arm. Then, he took the knife out from under his pillow, and gave it to Art. "Do that."

"You...I...you don't?" Art stumbled,

"I'm serious, it's always pissed me off I have no scars on that arm. One little cut, that's it."

"But, it would be hurting you."

Seiji grinned, "You said you'd do anything for me."

"Are you sure,"

Seiji laughed, "You make it sound a big deal."

Art shook his head. Hands trembling, he took Seiji's arm in one hand, holding the knife in the other. "About there?" he asked, trying to joke.

Seiji grinned, "Wherever, just do it."

"Why?"

"So I know you'd do anything for me."

"You're weird."

"Yep."

Art held his breath and drew the knife across Seiji's soft dark skin, so lightly, he hardly broke the skin.

Seiji laughed, "That's barely a scratch, do it properly."

"Oh, Fuck this." Said Art, and in one neat line, slashed Seiji's arm.

Seiji grinned, and got the bandages, and started wrapping them, clumsily around his arm. Art took over. "Happy now?" he asked as he wound the bandage around the fresh wound.

Seiji leant forward and kissed him, "More than you can possibly imagine. He stood up, "Coming?"

Art switched the lights off as he left.

A few minutes later, Fergie swung his head over the side of his bunk, and grinned at Tor, "Torin..." he started

"Yes Ferg?"

"You know you get pissed off if I cry."

"You dare." Tor hissed.

"No, I wasn't going to," Fergie slid out of bed, "Can I come talk to you." He sat on the edge of Tor's bed, "You already told her you're screwing me," he whispered.

"I know, but I, but I really like her."

"More than you like me?"

"Well, no, of course not, but."

"Look, I don't mind, it's just I thought I'd ask instead of forcing you, that's all."

Tor slipped his arms around Fergie's waist, "Thanks," he said, "But you could have forced me anyway," he pulled him into bed.

"Love you Torin,"

"Love you too Ferg, now shut up."

Fergie laughed and kissed his brother.

A few minutes later, there was muffled screams from Fergie,

"Uh, what are you doing to him?" Asked Alex, majorly scared.

Tor laughed, "I've got my fist in his mouth, that's all."

"Uh, why?"

"Because if it wasn't my fist, it would be something else."