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laurabancroft · 4 years

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Playground Games

“So I think you’re right.” Riley began, as he and Colby sat down for lunch. The blonde boy’s mouth dropped open.

“About Larson? I was kidding!”

Riley ran a hand through his hair. “Well, he asked me very outwardly if I would ‘go back to his place so we could form a covalent bond’. I think he’d looked up science pick-up lines or something.”

Riley had had enough.

It had started in the morning; in the first class of the day - English. Larson had sauntered in ten minutes late. “Sorry.” He’d said. “Slept in.”

Riley scowled at the disruption, at the boy’s attitude, at the fact that Murdoch wouldn’t discipline a member of Stuart house if he was offered a million dollars. He scowled as Larson removed his sunglasses – seriously, what kind of asshole wore them indoors – and winked at him as he passed his desk.

As their ‘celebrity’ took his seat behind him, Riley felt a pair of eyes on him. He felt them on him for the entire class, and when he finally turned around to glare, Larson only gave a smug grin in response.

----

Their next class was art.

Julian had purposefully sat himself at the easel opposite Riley’s in the circle around the fruit bowl, and was looking around at him almost every other minute. Riley desperately attempted to avoid looking back at the boy – he didn’t need to know he was getting the attention reciprocated.

“Ms Blumenfeld?” Julian had asked.

“Yes?”

“Do you mind if I get a closer look at the fruit bowl?” He smirked, glancing over to Riley as he asked. The Lancaster prefect felt the blood rise to his cheeks.

“Oh!” Their art teacher seemed overjoyed. “Of course! All of you are encouraged to take a closer look if you like, whenever you please!”

Larson walked into the centre of the room; eyes focused on Riley. He picked up the banana and turned it over in his hands, smirking, and not breaking eye contact until he went back to his seat.

----

“I just don’t get it.” Riley lamented to Colby during their first break of the day. “What the fuck is happening?”

“Oh, come on,” Colby rolled his eyes. “Dude, you’re smart enough – you can’t figure this out?”

Riley picked up his water bottle to take a drink, and frowned. “Figure what out?”

“He’s clearly hitting on you!”

He almost did a spit take. “Why the fuck would you say that?”

Colby gaped at him. “Are you serious? Dude.”

“Please stop calling me dude.”

----

He had chemistry next. Colby’s words were still floating through his head, and he’d almost forgotten Larson was in this class until he’d strolled into the lab – late again.

“You’re late, Mr Larson.” Came their teacher’s voice from the front of the room.

Julian didn’t even acknowledge her, making his way to his seat. There were only a few other students between them, and he grazed Riley’s back as he inched past. Riley gritted his teeth.

“Okay, partner work today – I will be assigning your partners today, so please sit down Mr Mapleton.”

Riley saw the Windsor boy slowly lower himself back into his seat.

“Paige? You’re with Larson.”

Great.

As their classmates shuffled around the room, Julian made his way towards Riley.

Riley didn’t want to meet his eyes, and so he grabbed the things they needed for today’s experiment from the cupboard below the desk.

“You and me then, Paige?”

He could hear the smirk.

“Oh, I suppose it would kill you to be on time for a class, Larson?” He retorted, folding his arms and stepping back to look at the boy.

Julian was propped against the desk casually, one hand in his pocket, his sunglasses hanging from where he’d earlier slotted the frames over where his top button should have been done up.

“Our teachers are lucky I turn up at all.”

“I don’t know why you do.”

Julian grinned at that, “Well, I have to. After all,” He leant in so close that Riley leant back from the shorter boy instinctively. “We have chemistry together.”

Riley hated that he felt his breath catch with Larson’s face so close to his own, and he hated that he knew Julian had noticed it as well.

Julian gave out a small laugh, and resumed his position against the desk. Riley could only stare, mouth opened just slightly in the shock.

Maybe Colby was right after all.

“We – have all of our classes together today, Larson.” He eventually managed to bite back, feeling it immediately fall flat. Shit.

“Oh, believe me, I’m very aware.” Larson’s gaze did a scan of Riley’s body, and he felt the anger rise as he smirked. He’d slap the smug off his face if he could get away with it.

“Let’s just do our fucking experiment.” He muttered, turning back to their desk to begin setting the equipment up.

When he felt Larson’s presence come close again, he could only roll his eyes and turn his head the other way. “So we’re doing a fucking experiment, are we?”

Riley bit his lip and chose to ignore the other boy for the rest of the class.

----

“So I think you’re right.” Riley began, as he and Colby sat down for lunch. The blonde boy’s mouth dropped open.

“About Larson? I was kidding!”

Colby just stared. “And how do you feel about it?”

“I don’t know! I don’t even know how I’m meant to feel about it!” Riley exclaimed.

His friend took a sip of his drink. “If you ask me, you’re at least a little interested - you’re far too stressed about it to not care.”

“Maybe I am.”

“Just – be careful. This is Julian Larson after all, I don’t even think he’s out to anyone.”

“Neither am I.”

“That’s different.”

“How?”

“Well he probably doesn’t want to be coming into class with hickeys all up his neck and his hair roughed up – I know what you’re like.”

“Like you can talk.”

“Hm?”

Riley raised an eyebrow. “I know you’re not coming all the way back from Dobry when you walk into class with your uniform askew.”

Colby blushed, and poked at the food on his tray with his fork. “That’s none of your business.” He mumbled.

“And whatever I do or don’t do with Larson is none of yours.”

“Okay, fine.” Colby sighed. “Seriously though - be careful.”

----

Riley would be lying to himself if he said he’d never thought about it. He’d be lying to himself if he thought he was one hundred percent straight – he’d fooled around with Colby on a few too many drunken occasions, and enjoyed all of them far too much.

He’d be lying to himself if he tried to tell himself he wasn’t currently checking out Larson in gym class.

Ah fuck. Damn him for having a great ass.

In all honesty, he was surprised that Larson was in gym altogether – he’d always skipped in the past, under the pretence of some bullshit like ‘I might get injured and I have to film next week’, even though everyone in the school knew that he did his own stunts.

The actor seemed to be spending as much of the class as he could stood in front of Riley, who had to force himself to look away at Larson’s incessant and unnecessary squatting, and he felt the heat in his face when the other boy would stretch his arms above his head, causing his shirt to lift just a little.

Riley cornered him in the locker room when everyone else had made their way to their next class. He knew Larson had taken his time getting changed, spending far more time shirtless than he needed to.

“What the fuck are you hoping to gain from this?”

Julian smirked, and continued buttoning his half-fastened shirt. “Well I should think that’s obvious, Paige.”

Riley stared. “So - you’re gay?”

“Bi, actually.”

Riley was at a loss for words. Julian finished getting changed and slung his bag over his shoulder. “I’d prefer you didn’t tell anyone.” He continued, looking at Riley in earnest for perhaps the first time all day.

“Then why’d you tell me?”

The actor raised his eyebrows. “Because you’re clearly interested. I know school’s only been back two weeks, but the stares are getting too much, Paige, and it’s been a while - I need something.”

Riley spluttered. “I’m not – I don’t –”

“Oh, come on, Paige.” Julian crossed the room and stopped a mere inch from Riley’s face. “You’re not subtle in the slightest.”

Riley swallowed. Despite being the shorter of the two, Julian’s confidence exuded in everything he did, leaving Riley feeling a little more than nervous around him.

Julian bit his lip, and looked down at Riley’s mouth.

“Why are you doing this?” Riley’s voice was barely more than a whisper.

“It’s fun.” Julian met his eyes. “You’re hot. I’m hot. We may as well.”

“You’re an asshole. Fuck you.”

“Well I’d frankly love you to do that, as a matter of fact.”

Riley exhaled shakily. Shit. “Not – we’re not doing this. Not here. Not now. We’re late already.”

Julian groaned and rolled his eyes. “Fine.” He said, stepping back. “But – later then?” His expression was mischievous.

Riley said nothing, only looking the boy dead in the eye before he turned and made his way to their next class.

Julian grinned as he followed.

----

And so, Riley had had enough. Their last class of the day was one that Larson had never particularly excelled in before now, but here he was, not breaking eye contact with him whilst he spoke French.

French.

Of all the fucking things Larson could have apparently got better at over winter break, it had to be French.

Riley was flustered to say the least.

He was frustrated.

And he knew Larson could tell.

He couldn’t stop himself from looking down to the other boy’s lips as yet another French euphemism left them.

Julian stopped talking, and they stared at each other for a moment, breathing slow and heavy.

“Mademoiselle Saint-Clair?” His eyes didn’t leave Riley’s as he spoke to their teacher.

“Mr Larson?”

“Riley isn’t feeling well, may I take him to the nurse?”

And that was how Riley found himself pressed against the wall of an empty hallway, lips moving furiously against Julian’s, their hands working at collars and buttons and belts and roaming over each others’ backs.

“Since when did you get so good at French anyways, Larson?” Riley asked breathlessly, with Julian kissing behind his ear and down his neck.

“Don’t worry about it, Paige.” Julian replied, lips against his skin as he spoke. “Just know it’s not the only thing I practiced over the holidays.”

He stopped at that, and stood up, hand still tangled in Riley’s loosened tie. He pressed a slow kiss to the taller boy’s jaw, and Riley closed his eyes. He thought he would collapse on the spot.

When Julian pulled away again, Riley opened his eyes. The other boy’s face was flushed, his hair sticking in every direction, lips red and soft. Riley could only imagine what he looked like in turn, and he smirked at the blossoming bruise he could see on Julian’s collarbone, just where his partially open shirt had shifted a little. He curled a hand around the shorter boy’s neck and pulled him towards him, moving his hands to Julian’s lower back to press their bodies together.

“My place?” Julian murmured against his lips, grazing them as he spoke. He looked up from them to meet Riley’s eyes, and grinned. “Or – your car?”

#daltonfic #daltonbigbang2020 #dalton big bang 2020 #rilian

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yetanotherbuffyblog · 6 years

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So that happened.

Oh Riley left.

So we get the news of Joyce’s surgery and it went well! She’s going to be a-okay (I don’t believe that but okay). She needs to stay at the hospital for a bit to make sure there weren’t any complications, but she’s okay, which is a huge relief to everyone, but Buffy and Dawn especially. Buffy gets to spend some time alone with Riley in the house while Dawn stays with Xander and Anya.

Dawn has no illusions whatsoever about what her sister and Riley are doing alone in the house, much to Xander’s dismay. And to be fair, we do see Riley and Buffy talking before they get to doing-the-do. Riley tells Buffy she’s so strong for going through this, not even crying, but she corrects him and says that she did cry, like, a lot. But then they have sex. But then in the night Riley wakes up and wanders off! Spike, who is a creeper, has been standing outside the Summers house and sees Riley exit and follows him to… a BLOOD DEN, where vampires are paid to drain some blood from peoples.

Soon after (presumably the next night), Spike wakes up Buffy and leads her to where Riley is being sucked on. Buffy...doesn’t take it well. She goes to the Scoobies demanding to know about this, and Anya points out that blood dens have sort of been a thing forever, and some people get high off of it. There’s a chance that a vampire takes too much or something, but since it’s stupid people who are paying for it, Giles doesn’t think it’s that big of a deal considering that the vampires involved aren’t hunting people. Buffy doesn’t take this well and demands that they go investigate. They do, but the vampires cleared out on account of their place being found by the Slayer. So Buffy torches the place, and the rest of the Scoobies are really wondering what’s going on.

Riley goes and bothers Spike, and threatens to kill him if he goes near Buffy. He, at least, has worked out that Spike has a thing for Buffy and they sort of bond over a bottle of booze and how they both are in love with Buffy but neither of them feel like they get what they want; Riley has the physical intimacy but he doesn’t feel like she confides in him, while Spike is...well, he’s Spike, and Buffy hates him. Spike even admits that he doesn’t think he has a chance at all (which...yeah, that’s a fair assessment) but feels as if he should try anyway.

So Buffy is punching a punching bag in the training room until Riley shows up to talk. They has things out, and basically Riley doesn’t feel needed or something? Ever since Buffy got bitten by Dracula, he’s been convinced that she only likes monsters, and that she doesn’t talk to him about things so he doesn’t feel like she needs him in the same way he needs her. That’s why he hired vampires to drain him--they made him feel needed. When Buffy’s mother went ill she didn’t talk to him much about it at all. She doesn’t think that’s a good excuse but he drops a bomb: oh, by the way, an army group wants Riley to join them to go kill some monsters that are munching on missionaries. He’s leaving at midnight, unless she gives him a reason to stay.

Buffy’s cornered by the vampires from the blood den after leaving the training room, and she obliterates them. Xander then confronts Buffy about this whole thing--he’s noticed her relationship with Riley has gone downhill, and that she really hasn’t been sharing as much with him despite him being a good guy. He gets through to her, and she decides to go to Riley to convince him to stay, but she goes by foot and by the time she gets there it’s too late, Riley’s in the chopper, and so he’s gone.

Uh, okay.

-Alright so I um sort of kind of...don’t side with Riley in this whole...debacle. Look, I don’t think he’s a terrible guy, but essentially he’s doing drugs behind Buffy’s back because he feels less wanted, and that’s a bit of a stupid reaction. Like I get wanted to feel needed more, but at the same time Buffy’s going through a lot and with her mother’s tumor I can understand why she’s not.

-Military guys say that they’re army, which is...like, why is it the army’s duty to go fight monsters?

-Giles says he didn’t have any clue blood dens were a thing happening in Sunnydale, but, like, uh...Sunnydale is kind of hellhole. Of course it has those!

-There’s this whole business of Riley feeling like he’s not needed, which is why the army guys give him an offer to go, but what about Glory? If Riley really cared that much about Buffy, wouldn’t he have told his army buddies about Glory? I know it’s not as simple as that, but at least it could be tried, ya know?

-I like that Xander of all people picked up on Buffy and Riley’s relationship falling apart and decided to do something about it. And he realized that from his conversation he needed to tell Anya how he felt about her.

-Buffy tells her mother that she and Riley are doing...Bible Study while they’re alone. Which...like I get that she doesn’t want to tell her mother that she’s having sex in the house alone with her boyfriend, but it’s clear that Joyce knows exactly what she means and I don’t know why no other euphemism is used? Maybe I’m a bit touchy about someone using ‘Bible Study’ as an excuse for something that isn’t religious at all, but it just seemed weird. Amusing, but weird.

-So is Riley just gone? It seemed a bit off; I expected there to be a bit more, and I thought that Buffy not telling Riley about Dawn would figure into him leaving if he did, in fact leave. But again, I have a hard time believing that he was ever really that deeply in love with her if he’s leaving while there’s a plague of crazy people in town and Glory’s walking around. She definitely needs all the help she can get.

#Buffy The Vampire Slayer #Buffy Summers #Riley Finn #Xander Harris #review #5x10 #Anya #Rupert Giles #Dawn Summers #Joyce Summers

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