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WHO: Herbert West and Tony Stark
TONE: Awkward and goofy and confusing
RATING: PG-13, probably
WHEN: 10th
WHERE: Library
WHAT: Tony's love potion dose gets him fixated on a very unlikely target.
STATUS: Ongoing

Herbert barely noticed the two boys sitting at the next table over in the library. He was too busy composing a treatise on how physical fitness positively affected mental prowess (a new revelation to him, but one only had to look at the perfection that was Odinson to know it made the most sense), sucking on the end of his quill between bursts of furious writing. Anyway, it was only Rogers and Stark, and weirdly enough, a lot of his irritation at Stark lately seemed to have disappeared once he'd gotten a good look at the husky blond boy and ... well. That was probably not an appropriate thought to have in a library.

The small boy smiled to himself as he made another note, this time concerning human pheromones and their genetic advantages.

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"Ever thing that the snake might have just made me realise? Like a catalyst? I mean really, all I've been doing since being put in your dorm is tug your pig tails. So duh, I've always had a thing for you."

As Tony says the last part, he unhooks his finger from Herbert's belt loop to reach up and play with his hair under his ear. Because when Tony thought about it, it was the only explanation he could come up with as to why he was really, really into Herbert right now.

"But now you mention it. I could really eat you up right now."

His eyebrow raises suggestively.

Herbert makes a choked sound at the innuendo, his mind racing. Yes, this was all very strange, but ... maybe it made sense? Had Tony really been bothering him all this time because he fancied him? He shivers a little at the touch to his hair, his cheeks burning.

"Well. Well ... I don't fancy you back," he says, stumbling over his words, which have a pleading edge to them. He really has no idea what to do here. "I like your friend, so you can just give up, and go back to Bruce or something."

His suggestive eyebrow becomes more curious.

"Really? You don't? Well, maybe we just need to spend more time together to fix that."

He huffs a little.

"Why would I go back to Bruce?"

"Because you have a thing for him, everyone in our dorm knows it except for Bruce," Herbert says scornfully, on a little firmer ground with this one. "I mean, I get why, he's quite good, I used to have a thing for him myself. So go talk to him, and stop bothering me. This'll probably wear off after awhile or something."

"That's a thing that's passed. Besides, it's not like he was ever into me."

He frowns for a second but soon grins again.

"Come on Herbert, this is something more than a little 'thing'. I mean really, why else would I be so persistent with you? This isn't fading."

"Yeah, it hasn't faded in the whole five minutes you've felt it," Herbert says, irritated, then seeing an out, adds, "And he is into you, I can tell. So there you go, go get him or something."

It's not that Herbert finds the whole good-looking-intelligent-boy-being-really-into-him thing so awful, it's just ... he can't see how it can possibly be real, and he's not interested in looking like an idiot when Tony comes back to his senses, or worse, when he tells the older boy he's been joking all along, and what an idiot he is for believing it.

Tony stops, his grin fading for a moment.

"He do-"

He shakes his head.

"Okay, that's not what I'm talking about here. Why are you even fighting this?"

"Because there's something wrong with you! It's not real and things like this don't ever happen to me, no one fancies me and no one is ever going to fancy me, least of all you, so this is either a spell or a joke, and I don't appreciate either!" Herbert spits out, hands clenching into fists at his side.

"I don't expect you to get it, everything falls into your bloody lap, so something like this probably wouldn't even surprise you, but I've got a very good reason to be suspicious of all this, all right?"

"Hey, this isn't a joke. I can tell you that for certain. I might make jokes and play with peoples things. But I never joke about things like this."

Tony looks shakes his head.

"I'm the heir to millions of US dollars. What makes you think I wouldn't be suspicious of anyone who just started hitting on me? Or is this because I'm 'Tony Stark' instead of just some Ravenclaw in your dorm? I can't help that, just as much as I can't help how I'm feeling about you."

"I said you wouldn't be surprised, you're making my point for me," Herbert points out. "Because there's a lot of reasons someone might want to get with you. I can't think of one legitimate reason why you might have a thing for me, and don't say it's because I'm brilliant, I know I am, but so is Sherlock, and I don't see you trying to snog him."

Herbert looks at the ground, still scowling, but he's clearly starting to get genuinely upset about this whole thing, instead of just irritated or surprised. He doesn't like saying all of these things out loud, but what else can he do? Even the very, very few people who like him as a friend would never consider him a romantic partner - it's just too strange that someone who never has would all of a sudden decide he's charming and worth chasing after.

"How about you've never once pandered to me, you've always been quick to give your opinion on anything and everything I do. And you actually look really adorable when you sleep."

He can see Herbert getting upset and really wants him to believe that he does care about him.

"Yes, and all those things could be said of Holmes, too- " Herbert starts, before he realizes all that Tony's said. It pulls him up short, and he looks up at the younger boy, startled and disarmed all over again.

"I'm not adorable," he protests faintly after a moment, color returning to his cheeks embarrassingly. "I'm not a damn kitten. Since when are you watching me when I sleep?"

"Sherlock does that to everyone, he doesn't ever count. And uh, really? I only sleep maybe 5 hours a night these days. I go to bed later than you and I'm generally awake before you. I've seen everyone in the room sleep. And I don't think kittens are adorable."

He slowly starts to grin charmingly again.

"I draw the curtains!" Herbert protests, though he doesn't, or at least not every time, and especially not when he's fallen asleep across his books. "Anyway, I think that's odd, you looking at me when I'm sleeping."

He sniffs and raises his chin in that haughty way he has when he thinks someone is being ridiculous, but whatever Tony's done is doing the trick - he's going back into normal I'm-better-than-the-lot-of-you mode instead of displaying the more unusual and slightly disturbing injured and bitter side of his personality.

"Except when you don't, and you're surrounded in books with your glasses slipping."

Tony smiles a little, because really it is a very sweet look for Herbert. To be honest, Tony would even vaguely admit to that when there was no potion involved. His smile widens when he notices Herbert's no longer looking affronted.

Herbert doesn't even know what to say to that, so he just goes even redder, and then turns to grab up his journal and stick it in his bag. This is so, so far outside his realm of normal experience. "I've got to go, I don't want to listen to this any more."

"Go?"

Tony raises his eyebrows as the rest of his face falls. Why was Herbert wanting to leave?

"Is what I'm saying really that god awful to hear?"

"It's stupid! It's stupid and fake," Herbert says, sniffing, shoulders hunching in. "And what am I supposed to say to it? I'm not some girl that's going to get all swoony just because you make eyes at me, Stark!"

"Maybe I don't want you swooning. Ever think of that?"

He licks his teeth as he shifts his footing. Huffing at him as he crosses his arms.

"Then what is it you want, exactly?" Herbert asks, looking aggrieved.

Tony replies with a completely straight face.

"You."

"Yes, but what do you want from me, since you can't just ... I don't know, own me, or whatever it is you seem to be trying for," Herbert counters in frustration.

"Well for starters. Kissing you more would be great."

He takes a quietly optimistic step forward.

"God! Look, even if I was going to kiss you, I certainly wouldn't do it here, in front of everyone in the library!" Herbert hisses. "Some of us are not enormous exhibitionists, thanks!"

"Well, I did suggest behind the one-eyed witch statue. No one looks back there."

Tony tilts his head in a manner to look endearing. Something he learnt quick while being around socialites and reports for attention.