Maybe you'll never be the love of my life,
Maybe I'm not the boy of your dreams.
But isn't it kind of fun to look in each other's eyes
Swapping romantic gleams?

March 31st, 1888 — Padmore Park
Ernie Nuffer

Living with just his uncle could get excruciatingly boring, especially when the man was in the throes of a new project. He had heard mutters about some expedition and knew it was some sort of thing by a man surnamed Darrow but beyond that all Tristan knew was that it was something that Jac was excited about. By now he was used to the pattern so knew that he was more helpful by being out of the way.

And so, he had wandered into Hogsmeade to see if he could find any eggs.

Instead, he found Ernie Nuffer and Tristan automatically felt a smirk blossoming on his face. He'd been thinking about that mistletoe kiss and he was very into antagonizing Nuffer some more. "Hello, stranger," Tristan drawled as he approached the Slytherin. "Hoping the egg shares the same trick as that thing we found over Christmas?" See? He could be discreet.

  

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Oh no.

Ernie day had been going just fine (or whatever qualified as "fine" for a kid who was being forced to wander the streets of Hogsmeade because he and his family just had to go to the village to visit his estranged brother) before that afternoon, but now he was face-to-face with his one-time antagonist and the source of his last actual kiss.

"You - just - no tricks, Michaud," he spluttered, already going into defensive mode. He just wanted to find a fucking egg that did some cute trick, not a cute asshole playing tricks on him. "Have you found an egg, yet?" he added as somewhat of an afterthought, as he really did want to find one.

  

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set by Stef <333

Tristan's smirk only grew at Nuffers reaction. He was so wound up and Tristan had only just arrived. It was very amusing. Draping himself over the back of a bench in a way that was reminiscent of cat, he eyed the other Slytherin before shaking his head. "No. I heard there was an assortment of things each one turns into, though," Tristan said. He personally wanted the rock that insulted people.

The following 1 user Likes Tristan Michaud's post:1 user Likes Tristan Michaud's post
   Bella Scrimgeour

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Ernie eyed Michaud, but only long enough to make sure he wasn't up to anything funny. He then continued searching through the tall grass — a place where normal Easter eggs were commonly hidden.

"Have you figured out all the options, yet?" he continued, his hand brushing through the grass. He glanced backwards, eyeing the older boy. "You're not going to find anything special if you're not looking."

  

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set by Stef <333

Tristan lazily watched as Nuffer searched through the grass like the little rabbit that he was. All twitchy, adorable and nervous - yep, definitely a rabbit. "No," Tristan answered when Nuffer asked if he had figured out all the options. "Maybe I've already found something special," Tristan drawled with a bit of a smirk as he settled more comfortably on the bench. Watching Nuffer search through grass was definitely more interesting than finding an egg for himself at the moment.

  

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Ernie really tried to ignore him — he really did. It was hard not to feel self-conscious (or at least a little paranoid) when he was being watched from behind by the boy who was not at all subtle with his advances. While not a prude by any definition of the word, Ernie wasn't used with boys being so forward towards other boys, especially in a public place.

"Stop that, you asshole," he grumbled just loud enough for the older boy to hear. Even though there were no people within earshot, he hated the idea of anyone getting ideas. "I'm sure I'm not the only one you could be antagonizing right now." The sad thing was, he didn't want Michaud to leave.

It would have just been a tad bit nicer if he'd been a bit nicer. Asshole.

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   Roberto Devine

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set by Stef <333

"I'm not doing anything," Tristan stated in faux innocence as he plucked a cigarette out of his cigarette case and put it between his lips. He took a moment to light it and enjoy a drag before settling back again. "Nah, I'm comfortable here. I'll just steal whatever you find," he said cheekily before looking away from Nuffer briefly to cast a glance around Padmore Park. Most people seemed to be doing the same as Nuffer. He wanted an obscene rock but he was also feeling a little lazy~ ah, a dilemma.

  

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With a glance behind him, Ernie shook his head and continued searching. "You will not be stealing anything," he grumbled, hoping that he'd be able to find some treasure. "I won't be finding anything today unless you get off your ass and help me. I'm about to go exploring behind those bushes; you're free to come if you like... or you could stay there and do nothing," he offered.

  

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set by Stef <333

”Wanna bet?” Tristan asked though fine, he’d get up. Tristan fought back the retort he had for Nuffers next words but mostly because they were in public. He might have been relatively shameless about most things (thanks uncle Jac for your influence) but he did like having a job and not being a total social pariah. “Sure, I’d love to go digging through things with you. What are you hoping for from the egg you might find anyway?” He asked as he began lazily sifting through grass with his foot.

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Ernie glanced over his shoulder suspiciously; even though he secretly enjoyed Michaud's company didn't mean he wasn't suspicious. Michaud was an enigma, and Ernie would remain cautious until he figured out his intentions.

"I'm not sure," he responded defensively, crouching down near near one of the heavily-grassed patches. "No one has bothered to tell me all the options. I don't supposed you know them?" he asked, brows raised, before returning to his upright position and wandering farther into the maze of bushes.

  

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set by Stef <333

"Always so suspicious," Tristan teased when he noticed that Nuffer was giving him a look like he was doing something suspicious. "And no but I know that one is a rabbit and another is a rock that insults people. I want the rock." A rabbit might be nice too, he supposed, but he didn't see any reason why someone would want to make a pet out of something that should be in a stew.

  

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Ernie turned to scowl at Michaud, but quickly realized the other boy was far closer than he'd expected. He wasn't a usually-nervous person, but there was something so different, so taboo, about being alone with Michaud that caused his cheeks to redden again.

"I think my suspicions have merit," he responded with a gulp. "You weren't exactly..." He trailed off for a moment, a muffled noise coming from the bushes. A voice, but not a human-sounding one.

"Do you suppose that might be your insult-rock?"

  

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set by Stef <333

Tristan thought that he was pretty sure that he knew exactly what Nuffer had been about to say. He cast the Slytherin a grin that he personally considered to be his most innocent in appearance. "I'm always perfectly innocent. Maybe you're just reading too much into things. What things do go through that head of yours, Nuffer?"

Moving towards the sound, he moved a bit of grass and grinned as he found a rock just as it declared them both muck snipes. "It seems so," Tristan said gleefully as he picked it up before turning his attention back to Nuffer. "Come on, I'm sure we can find chocolate or something for you."

  

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Ernie had no interest in making a fool of himself—not with Michaud, and especially not while they were away from the public, whose presence Ernie was confident would stop Michaud from doing anything rash—so opted for silence at Michaud's teasing.

Until he dared pick up his rock.

"Nuh-uh," he responded with a scoff, moving to put his body between Michaud's and the only noticeable exit from the bushes. "I want that one. I was the one looking for something in the first place! I'll give you the next one," he declared, holding his hand out for Michaud to—hopefully—hand it over.

  

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set by Stef <333

Tristan snorted in amusement when Nuffer blocked his way out. "You only want it because I want it, don't you?" He said teasingly, keeping the rock just a little out of reach. Which was hard, really, since Nuffer wasn't short like Rasmus had been. "I'll give it to you but then you owe me a future favor."

  

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Well, he wasn't wrong.

"You said you'd help me find something," he said, daringly poking the older boy in the chest, "so I shouldn't owe you a favor." Part of him—just a teeny bit—was curious about what sort of "favor" Michaud had in mind, though, so he cocked a cynical brow and took a breath. "What sort of favor could you want, anyways? I'm poor and you're not; it's not like I could buy you anything."

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set by Stef <333