It had all been going so smoothly; Tybalt felt as home here as he ever had anywhere, and Mr. Holm was proving to be easy company.
(Sometimes people you didn’t know - people who didn’t know you - were easier company.)
Speaking of company, however, it abruptly became apparent that they were not alone, or at least not going to be alone in a matter of moments. The other boy had noticed it too, that much was obvious by the way he’d stopped and looked at Tyb, a touch wide-eyed... and though Tyb liked talking his way out of things as much as anyone, he thought that was probably a route best not taken. He didn’t know if they were prefects patrolling, or even professors, but... Yes, whoever they were, popping up to introduce themselves was probably a last resort.
Which did not leave them a great deal of options. Tybalt clutched at the other young man’s sleeve and tugged him down to duck there, crouching on the stairs: the banisters would spare them from view for another bit. The game would be up if the other two turned onto the stairs, or even looked.
“There’s a tapestry,” Tyb muttered out of the corner of his mouth, jerking his head silently to just round the corner from the stairs. If they could creep there without being seen... He nudged Bragi to make his intentions clear enough, trying not to grin at the way his heart was pounding out of his chest at the thrill of it all. “We’ll hide behind it. In three, two, one -”
(Sometimes people you didn’t know - people who didn’t know you - were easier company.)
Speaking of company, however, it abruptly became apparent that they were not alone, or at least not going to be alone in a matter of moments. The other boy had noticed it too, that much was obvious by the way he’d stopped and looked at Tyb, a touch wide-eyed... and though Tyb liked talking his way out of things as much as anyone, he thought that was probably a route best not taken. He didn’t know if they were prefects patrolling, or even professors, but... Yes, whoever they were, popping up to introduce themselves was probably a last resort.
Which did not leave them a great deal of options. Tybalt clutched at the other young man’s sleeve and tugged him down to duck there, crouching on the stairs: the banisters would spare them from view for another bit. The game would be up if the other two turned onto the stairs, or even looked.
“There’s a tapestry,” Tyb muttered out of the corner of his mouth, jerking his head silently to just round the corner from the stairs. If they could creep there without being seen... He nudged Bragi to make his intentions clear enough, trying not to grin at the way his heart was pounding out of his chest at the thrill of it all. “We’ll hide behind it. In three, two, one -”
