Good for Something |[Damien]|

[Elias Hunter G7]

It had been a good idea at first, but now Eli was wondering if his good intentions were backfiring on him. Grace was the artist in the family, not him. Yet he had still thought it would be fun to borrow her paints and see where his muse might lead him. He was going to give the finished work to Grace as a gift, but it seemed to be turning out to be more of a mess of colors on a canvas than anything else. The piece screamed 'amateur' louder than if he'd randomly spilled paints here and there with no purpose. What was supposed to be a peaceful nature scene looked more like a five year old's rendition of Van Gogh's Starry Night. In fact, the average five year old could likely produce something nicer than what Elias had managed.

He let out a sigh, half ready to just magic away the ugly mess of colors and return the paints with the blank canvas to Grace. He could lie to her, telling her that he hadn't had the time to get to use the supplies. But she would know. She always knew when he was lying. Maybe he needed to just take the proof with him because he knew she'd probably try to argue with him when he would tell her that he just wasn't a good painter at all. There was no denying it if she saw what he'd painted.

Packing up the paints, Eli prepared to clean up and perhaps spend some time with Grace before dinner. As he did so, the pot of orange paint teetered close to the edge of the table, finally falling and splattering a good radius in all direction. "Bollocks," he cursed, setting down what he had gathered in his hands to clean up the mess. "Scourgify," he said, pointing his wand at the orange puddle on the floor. Nothing happened, so he tried again. "Scourgify!" This time, he added a little more oomph. Still no affect. The orange mess stayed right where it was. Eli reached down and rubbed his finger on the paint. Dry. The paint had already dried. What was this; magical paint or something that resisted cleaning spells? How inconvenient was that? Sighing again, he looked at another one of the paint pots, turning it to read the small print on the back:

Malda's Permanent Paint! Guaranteed to remain permanent on any surface except skin. Resists all magical spells and can only be removed with our very own Malda's Paint Remover. Never let your masterpieces be ruined again.

Great. Just great. Eli looked at his hands, happy that the paint would at least be coming off of his skin. He hardly wanted to walk around with blue fingertips. Now he just needed to get his hands on some of this Malda's Paint Remover. Perhaps Grace had some of that too. If she didn't, well then there was going to be a permanent orange stain in the student lounge for a while.

Turning to gather the rest of the paints and head to find Grace, Eli was surprised to see someone else standing over the orange stain. He jerked his eyes to look at the person, noticing that it was Damien. How ironic that this guy seemed to show up only when Eli had found himself in some sort of mess. First the fallen suit of armor and now the paint. "It's permanent," he said, offering an explanation. He figured Damien would find this almost as amusing as their first encounter, but Eli hardly cared. Damien seemed harmless, if not a little bit friendly behind his playboy ways.

[Damien Lennox S7]

“I’m not useless, so shut up before I hex you. Just because one guy didn’t fall for my irresistible charms doesn’t mean that I’ve lost my touch.” Despite the faintly bad-tempered snap to his voice, Damien didn’t shift even an inch, preferring to remain sprawled across his bed, the crook of his elbow shielding his eyes from the weak sunlight filtering into the room. He had drunk a fair amount of whiskey the night before; not too much though. Damien didn’t believe that there was such a thing as drinking too much. Carlin did. She always believed in whatever Damien didn’t; just as long as she could oppose him long enough to strike up a rivalry. Affection wasn’t enough for them. Their bond needed that fierce competition to thrive. Damien honestly didn’t know what would happen to he and Carlin after Hogwarts. Both of them, in a moment of unusual agreement, had agreed that, in all seriousness, their game had to stop after graduating. They couldn’t compete forever; Carlin had to get married, just like she had been raised to expect, and Damien...well, Damien would find something to do. He always did.

“Oh, don’t be so touchy about the one who got away,” Carlin chided mockingly, patting Damien’s head like he was a little puppy crawling after her for her approval. Or one of her more fanatic conquests. There was always one boy who thought that he deserved more than one chance with Carlin Lennox; or so Carlin always said. Damien knew better than to believe everything his cousin said. “I didn’t even say that you were useless. I believe I used the word ‘incompetent’, if we want to be pedantic. I mean, he even walked into the Hall with you, and you sat at different tables! That’s never happened before.”

Damien smacked her hand gently, rolling his eyes when Carlin inhaled sharply with pretend pain. He hadn’t smacked at her that hard, and Carlin was hardly fragile. She had successfully poked and prodded at his competitive streak though. Neither of them enjoyed losing, but Damien hated it more than Carlin could ever imagine. “You know what?” Damien scowled, standing and pointing an accusatory finger at his cousin, who simply smirked at him lazily. “He is not ‘the one who got away’. If Elias Hunter is gay or bisexual or even just curious, I will know. You know how? He’ll kiss me.” That declaration sparked an odd smile from Carlin and, inexplicably, Damien started to feel slightly wary. His cousin had never given him that smile before. After so many years of practically living with her, Damien had been fairly certain that he knew almost everything about his cousin, which was why he recognised the discreet hints of manipulation in the way she grinned, wide and seemingly guileless.

“How about we make it more interesting then? If Hunter kisses you, we’ll mark it down as a fully successful conquest. If he sleeps with you, whether or not you’re required to take him out on a few dates first, it can count as three conquests. No deadline, but do try to get it done before I turn thirty.”

For a few long moments, Damien studied his cousin, taking in the long dark curls over her left shoulder, the girlish grin, the brash confidence clear on her face. Almost any man who pitted himself against Carlin Lennox was a fool. Fortunately for Damien, he was her cousin and her rival; her charms had never been able to affect him or cloud his judgement. In response, he stuck out his hand, shaking hers firmly as they both smirked, practically mirror images of each other. “Deal,” he agreed without hesitation. Damien knew his limits. Seducing someone wasn’t anywhere near testing them. The three conquests that Elias had suddenly become worth would be the easiest three that he had ever accomplished.

With her usual perplexing knowledge of where people would be, though Damien strongly suspected that his cousin had spies or had somehow bribed the portraits to keep her informed, Carlin waved him away to the student lounge dismissively. In his dormitory, with the familiar manipulative presence that Carlin seemed to have always exuded, Damien had not been affected by the idea of deliberately seeking someone out to seduce them just to add them to his number of conquests. It wasn’t like Damien hadn’t been attracted to Elias anyway; the Gryffindor was handsome, if perhaps slightly inept, judging by the mess with the suit of armour and now the paint splattered over the floor. Now, however, gazing at the boy through slightly quizzical, bemused blue eyes, the small shred of morality that still existed within him protested the deception. Almost immediately, Damien irritably shrugged that part of him away. It wasn’t like he was trying to get Elias to fall hopelessly in love with him just to get his heart broken. He wasn’t that cruel. It was just a kiss, maybe a date, maybe a night. He wasn’t asking for much.

“Does it come off of skin?” Damien asked wryly, stepping closer without consideration for personal space to grasp Elias’ right hand and turning it over to examine the paint-splattered skin curiously. “Because as much as blue suits you, I think I prefer the more natural look.” He hadn’t known that Elias was a painter. He hadn’t cared enough to think about it, if Damien was truthful. Elias Hunter had been of no more interest than a temporary diversion that hadn’t quite worked out. Until Carlin had made the boy into a private competition. It probably wasn’t fair to him; Elias hadn’t exactly asked to be made the newest point of interest for the Lennox cousins. Still, it wouldn’t last for long. Damien would, at the very least, get his kiss, Carlin would get whatever vicarious enjoyment she gleaned from Damien’s life and Elias had the undoubtedly thrilling pleasure of Damien’s company for however long it took. “What were you painting anyway? On the canvas, not your new body paint.” Damien asked, one eyebrow arched sceptically as his eyes strayed to the canvas behind Elias. To him, it just looked like a swirl of different coloured paints but maybe, to Elias’ eyes, it was a grand abstract masterpiece.

[Elias Hunter G7]

Damien's forthrightness caught Elias a bit off guard, his hand involuntarily jerking just slightly when Damien reached out to grab it. The jolt of surprise was subtle, and perhaps Damien didn't notice it. And, even if he did, it was natural to flinch when someone grabbed you unexpectedly, right? Eli had a hard time admitting to himself that the flinch was more than just a reaction to his shock. Damien Lennox was the best known man-sleeper (for lack of a better description), and yet that didn't stop the line of girls, and even a few guys, from setting their hopes on some day having the opportunity of being his next conquest. The same was true for Eli, in a manner of speaking. While he wasn't jumping up and down at the thought of being just another name at the bottom of a swelling list of past flings, he did find Damien attractive, and he was almost certain that Damien had no preference when it came to the gender of others. The question was, did Damien know that Eli preferred guys? And if so, was this his subtle way of hinting that he knew?

Elias took a moment to regain his composure, once again reminding himself who he was dealing with. Those alluring eyes and that dark hair were enough to draw him in, but Eli was wary of taking the bait so soon. This was a Lennox, afterall, and everyone knew you couldn't trust them in the game of love. Damien might as well have been wearing a t-shirt that said 'Heartbreaker' in bright, bold letters. Eli just needed to keep reminding himself of this fact as he took back the notion that Damien was harmless. It had seemed that was the case, up until the point where their skin met. That's when Eli knew this was no longer a harmless interaction. He'd entered into the dangers of the Lennox universe.

"It does," he said, taking his hand back firmly yet not overt in his effort to break away from Damien's touch. "It does come off skin." At Damien's next question, Eli couldn't help but feel the wave of embarrassment wash over him, his eyes glancing at the painted canvas. He was certain his cheeks were now flushed a warm shade of pink, his lips curling into a nervous grin. "Oh, that's nothing," he insisted, laughing at Damien's attempted humor. Eli was certain though that he did look rather pathetic, blue fingers, orange splattered everywhere, and a childlike piece of artwork sitting on the table. "Just a sad attempt at art." He used his wand to finally clean the paint from his skin, and luckily the advertising didn't lie. His hands were back to their normal flesh color. "Grace is the artist in the family," he explained, "not me." He was sure that Damien knew Grace, or at least knew of her. They had all been in the same classes for six years now, so surely their paths had crossed as well. And, knowing Damien's ways, it definitely was essential to have a good knowledge of your classmates. Who was who. Who had dated who. Who was available. All important pieces in the Lennox ways, Eli assumed.

He stood there, his items now packed, and wondered if Damien had just been passing by or if he had really intended to have a conversation. Curious to find out, Eli just stood there, folding his arms across his chest as half sat, half stood at the edge of the table. Still assessing Damien's motives, Eli decided to be silent, letting Damien do the talking. It seemed to be the safer route at this point. Eli knew how easy it was to talk yourself into a corner if you just started rambling in situations like these, especially when you couldn't really be sure what the situation was in the first place. Needless to say, he was very wary of Damien, and rightfully so, given the boy's reputation.

[Damien Lennox S7]

Oh yeah. Damien forcibly suppressed a smirk. He was definitely getting another mark on his list for Elias. It would soon be clear to even Carlin that Damien was truly the king of their little game. His cousin would be forced to admit that she had lost to him, that he was the best Lennox in existence, the most desirable and the most irresistible. From the very start of their competition, the scores had been close but Damien had been growing ever more confident. His parents had inadvertently raised the perfect spoiled little hedonist. Damien had, for all appearances, become the perfect example of a rich teenage playboy with little else to do but play with hearts and minds. It didn’t matter that he sometimes felt a small bit of genuine affection for his conquests; they always came second to his game with Carlin. His experience had taught him how to detect and judge even the slightest of movements though, so Damien didn’t miss the small tremble of Elias’ hand in his. Was the other boy actually shaking for some reason, Damien wondered idly, or trying to pull his hand away? The idea that Elias had tried to pull away couldn’t be tolerated. Damien needed him. Not out of any pathetic sentimental attachment or carnal inclinations, though they did play a part in his acceptance of Carlin’s challenge, but because he couldn’t lie to his cousin about this. If Damien wanted those points, which he did, he had to earn them on his own merit.

“That’s just as well,” Damien drawled slowly, his smirk offering a wicked invitation with his next words. “Your natural state is infinitely more appealing. Paint shouldn’t mar something so...would your male pride be offended if I said ‘pretty’?” Damien paused thoughtfully, his gaze openly doubtful as his eyes rested on Elias. It would be a lie to say that he didn’t appreciate the view; he appreciated aesthetics and Elias was definitely handsome. Light spiked shade of hair, blue eyes, good physique. Damien could definitely get used to looking at Elias if this round of the game lasted longer than he had originally expected. The spikes were absolutely delightful; it made Damien want to test how soft Elias’ hair was. Calling him pretty had just been to see how far Damien could push before he reached Elias’ limits. He enjoyed poking and prodding, testing to see how far he could go. That was from Carlin’s influence though, Damien was sure. His cousin, as the female heir, had essentially been raised to become the manipulative, incisive person that she now was. He was, however, fairly sure that Uncle Richard and Aunt Kendra hadn’t intended for their eldest daughter to enjoy seduction and be as sadistic as she could be at times. The two hadn’t really done so well with their eldest two children or the nephew they had all but adopted, Damien acknowledged wryly; Jared had left the family as soon as he came of age, and he and Carlin weren’t the best children that a set of parents, or aunt and uncle, could ask for. With any luck, Cyn would keep her innocence for longer than her siblings and cousin had, though it would be fun to have another generation running rampant through the corridors and dorms of Hogwarts.

“It’s not great,” Damien affirmed bluntly, glancing away from Elias to scrutinise the canvas when the boy pulled his hand away. The action wasn’t a rejection, not exactly, but it reminded Damien that he hadn’t quite won the challenge just yet. He had jumped too far ahead of himself again, mentally smirking over his success before anything had even happened. “But it could be changed into something abstract, I suppose. Like one of those annoying ‘what do you see when you look into this?’ pieces that are always hanging in art galleries whenever I’m dragged into one. What exactly is supposed to be fun or educational about staring at pretty pictures for hours?” Oh, that was right, Elias had a twin sister. It probably wasn’t a great sign that Damien had to consider what he remembered of the girl seriously before concluding that Grace Hunter had never made it onto his list of conquests. How odd; the girl was pretty enough. Maybe Carlin could remind him why he had never pursued Grace Hunter.

So now it was his time to speak, Damien surmised steadily. Elias’ body language was a bit defensive, at least to Damien’s eyes, suggesting that he had more of an impact than the Gryffindor had expressed. It lent a more promising tint to the whole situation. Damien didn’t often fail to win his conquests over but, admittedly, it did occasionally happen. “I did actually come looking for you,” Damien admitted slowly, his expression betraying no hint of his mind quickly working through all possible ways to handle the situation. He could act differently to how he usually did to draw Elias in but he had been himself without any pretence during his meeting with Elias. There was little point in changing that now. He would probably have a better chance of winning Elias over if he just acted like himself. So tactfully blunt, playfully flirtatious, occasionally unsure and sometimes generous it was. A little bit of obvious uncertainty never hurt his chances anyway. “Don’t punch or hex me if I’m wrong; I don’t particularly enjoy intolerance, especially not if it’s directed at my face. But, um, do you want to go out on Saturday? With me.”

[Elias Hunter G7]

Pretty? Elias wondered if he should be offended. Undecided though, he simply starred back at Damien, oddly quiet which was very much unlike Eli. Normally he was outgoing, social, and friendly in almost any company. But standing there with Damien, he felt as though he had to overanalyze everything he said. His lips were a filter that he was using very carefully before letting any words slip through. Apparently though, with that last statement, Eli could assume that the rumours about Damien were true, and he was at least bisexual. Also, it must have been known to Damien that Eli himself was far from straight. What was certain though was that Damien had definitely resorted to flirting. At this point, Eli had no doubts about it. Now he just needed to figure out how he might respond.

"I'm not a prideful person," Eli answered, a seemingly safe response to Damien's comment. It didn't answer the question, and it allowed for some liberality in interpretation. Damien could take it as arrogance or apathy, and either way, Eli wouldn't have cared. He was still too worried about trying to figure out if Damien was being authentic.

With the topic switching to his painting, Elias was somewhat surprised that Damien didn't seem to lack a sense of honesty. It was common courtesy to tell someone that you liked something of theirs, even if you didn't, right? Well, in most cases, unless you really knew the person well enough to be honest. Or, in Damien's case, if you didn't seem to care whether or not you offended that person. Ironically, Eli found this trait somewhat comforting. It at least proved that Damien wasn't completely lying through his teeth in an attempt to win Eli over in some sort of manner. It made his comment about being 'pretty' a bit more believable.

Eli let out a laugh, lightening up a bit as he took another look at the painting. "Don't worry, I know it's terrible, which is why I don't normally paint. I guess I was just bored, and figured Grace would find my efforts endearing." He paused again, realizing that he was letting his filter loosen a bit. It was that quick. He was lulled into a sense of comfort and he didn't even see it coming. It reminded him of a venus fly-trap. The Lennoxes would lure you in and then clamp down on you before you realized what was happening. Eli smirked at that thought.

Seriously? Eli couldn't help but let out a nervous, stacatto sort of laugh at Damien's next words which were undeniably blunt and to the point. "Is this a joke?" It was the first thought in Elias' mind when Damien asked him to go out on Saturday. Either this was the worst attempt at subtle seduction or Damien's question was simply an invitation for a date. "I mean, you're Damien Lennox. Heartbreaker, puppeteer, and parters in crime with Carlin, the Slytherin with the most infamous reputation of girls in her year." He gave a hesitant stare, trying to sense any sort of tell in Damien's face. "You could easily have any guy or girl that you want." Did that include Eli? He couldn't deny that the thought of running his hand under Damien's shirt, feeling the soft skin of his abdomen and torso wasn't appealing. Nor could he shake the idea of getting a chance to kiss those lips, wondering if they tasted as good as they looked. But he couldn't dwell on such things. They were only more smoke and mirrors to hide the true point of the matter.

Eli laughed again, having let at least thirty second pass since Damien had laid the offer on the table. "You're serious, aren't you," he inquired again, letting his sarcasm dissolve into the realization that he needed to give an answer. "Well I definitely won't punch or hex you," he added, allowing more comedic relief. For another five seconds or so, he let his eyes do an up and down of Damien's body, more so just trying to get another read on his genuineness.

It was just one night. And Damien did ask rather honestly instead of trying to disguise his motives. But maybe that was all just part of his ways. Finally Eli just let out a sigh and a shrug. "Fine," he said. "But don't think I don't know all about your... your ways. You and your cousin both." Eli gave a slightly serious yet slightly light-hearted sort of glare, partially to warn Damien that his actions were still being scrutinised. "What time, and where?" Eli asked, needing to know what clothing might be appropriate and if he'd need to bring anything along. "And will we be the only ones going?" he added, assuming that there might be a good chance that Carlin and her date-of-the-night might tag along. After all, the Lennoxes seemed to be attached at the hip for the most part.

[Damien Lennox S7]

It seemed a reasonably safe conclusion that Elias hadn’t been offended by Damien’s use of an adjective that was, as a general rule, reserved solely for girls. That was probably a good thing. Damien didn’t always think before he spoke. Admittedly, that was mostly around Carlin because his cousin was rarely offended by anything that anyone could ever say to her, but he wasn’t perfect. As much as he tried to exercise control over himself when around...well, anyone who wasn’t Carlin really, he did sometimes say things that he hadn’t intended to. It got him into trouble sometimes, like when he had accidentally informed his first girlfriend, the only relationship of his that had been even semi-serious, that he was more attracted to her older brother. That had been an awkward conversation for two thirteen year olds who had been daring enough to sneak some Firewhiskey from her brother’s dorm. Lucy hadn’t reacted well. Carlin had reacted even worse; not because Damien was bisexual but because she thought that Lucy had hurt him a little bit with her wild accusations and her own hurt. Carlin had always been on his side, except when they were playing the game. When they were competing, they weren’t cousins. Both of them put that bond on hold until it was time to regroup in Damien’s dorm, him sprawled across his bed, her sitting more daintily but both of them smirking and sniping about their conquests and failures like they hadn’t just been trying to prove the other inferior. It was odd but it worked for them.

“Oh.” Damien smiled apologetically, ducking his head slightly in embarrassment that was only partially faked. Dark strands fell across his forehead, never quite falling far enough to obstruct his vision. Damien didn’t keep his hair cut short in the front just because it looked good, though it did. He hated having anything clouding his vision, even just a few pieces of hair. It kept him from observing everything as effortlessly as he preferred; it was annoying. “I probably should have been a bit more tactful, right? I’m sure it’s not terrible. Definitely not. I just don’t know much about art, and certainly not how to appreciate it. I guess I’m just not cultured enough.” It seemed that Elias and Grace were close then, Damien guessed with a quick flick of his eyes to take note of Elias’ expression. They were close enough for Elias to do something he knew he wasn’t great at just to entertain and amuse his twin sister. It was familiar. Elias reminded him of Cyn at that moment, Damien realised with a quick flash of insight. The kid was forever skipping around after he and Carlin during the summer, showing off what she had learnt while they were at school because she wanted their attention and their approval. Damien loved his young cousin but she was both amusing and slightly annoying at those times. Hopefully Elias wouldn’t turn out to be the same, especially not as clingy as Cyn could be. This was just a quick round of the game, even if it could be worth triple points. Clingy ex-conquests just ruined the game for Damien and his next conquest.

“I think it’s my turn to be offended,” Damien muttered dryly when Elias laughed at his invitation. At least he just sounded nervous instead of scoffing at the offer. Oh. Damien smiled ruefully, his expression a mixture of chagrin and twisted pride. “You’ve heard of me then,” he joked lightly. At least he knew that he was appreciated enough for people to talk about him. Now wasn’t really the time, but part of him couldn’t help but to wonder if Carlin’s reputation was equally well-known or if one of them had won in this aspect too. “Does the gossip also mention my unlimited charm, that I’m actually faithful to the people I have a relationship with or that my last girlfriend actually broke up with me and I haven’t been in a relationship since?” Damien reached up to brush his hair away from his face, shielding his expression for the few seconds he needed to get it under complete control. Saying that he was faithful while in a relationship was true but not exactly fair; Damien hadn’t been in a real relationship since he was fourteen. He dated and slept around, but he was never anyone’s boyfriend. At least the final part of his defence was true; Leanne had broken up with him. After Damien had provoked her into doing so by candidly admitting that he wouldn’t mind sleeping with her best friend and her brothers. Some people just didn’t appreciate the truth, which made him wonder why they asked for it.

“As serious as the orange paint on the floor,” Damien affirmed, gesturing to the splatters and shrugging helplessly. If nothing else, he at least had the reassurance that he wasn’t going to be physically or magically rebuked for asking Elias out, so he was at least bisexual. Boys didn’t agree to a date with Damien if they were just curious; they tended to go along the more direct route by either pulling him into a kiss or inviting him to make the first move if they weren’t quite so sure. “Fine?” Damien grinned at Elias lightly, unaware of the clear surprise on his face. He hadn’t exactly anticipated a positive answer – and Elias was even letting him pick what they did. That was a dangerous move. Damien wasn’t what most people would deem trustworthy, or even reliable. He could pick a restaurant or just as easily decide to spend the night in a noisy bar. He was always considerate about one thing though, because not everyone was as nonchalant as him about what people thought. “Are you out?” Damien asked frankly, laying his hand on Elias’ arm to soften the harsh candour of his question. “I don’t care either way but I’m not going to take you to a place where people will know you if they don’t know that you like guys. There are better ways to tell people than while on a date with me. But yeah, we’ll be the only ones going unless you want to invite people along. I promise not to subject you to Carlin’s company during our date.” Damien fought to keep the stiffness out of his voice at the option of Elias bringing other people along on their date. It was just a date, just one night, but Damien did not share. If he didn’t even share with Carlin then he would not willingly be sharing his date with anyone else.

[Elias Hunter G7]

Eli found it amusing that Damien seemed quick to backpedal on his initial comment, now implying that perhaps the painting wasn't all that bad. It really was that bad though, and Eli preferred it when Damien had the guile to say so. Something had caused him to change his mind though, or at least pretend as though he had. Perhaps it was that common courtesy shining through. Who knew that it really did lie behind that playboy exterior? "It's shit," Eli chuckled. "You don't have to change your assessment if you're worried you'll hurt my feelings. I'm probably not as fragile as most of the people you've been with." Perhaps there was a slight innuendo in the last bit of Elias' statement, but it wasn't entirely intentional.

"It's not gossip if it's all positive," Eli retorted with a hint of amusement in his voice, essentially providing a negative answer to Damien's concern that his "good" side wasn't being fairly represented in all the whispering that went on behind his back. "But lucky for you, I don't always listen to what I hear. I prefer to make the judgments myself." It was true. Eli definitely considered what others said, but he rarely acted on others words, preferring to make his own decisions about certain aspects of life. And that included other people. He hated it when people didn't give someone a chance just because of what they'd heard about them. He'd be a hypocrite if he did the same for Damien. But that also didn't mean that he wasn't considering all that'd he'd heard. In that case, he'd be a fool for ignorance. "You do have charm though," he admitted, unafraid to do so, and certain that it might evoke a smile on Damien's face. He liked seeing him smile.

It intrigued Elias to see Damien's brief look of surprise when he accepted the offer for the date; almost as though Damien didn't expect him to oblige. Eli would have thought that Damien was expecting an affirmative answer, but perhaps he simply assumed it might take more convincing. Either way, Damien seemed somewhat thrilled with Eli's response.

"Well how else did you know that I was worth pursuing?" Eli asked when Damien questioned whether or not he was open with his sexuality. "Am I that obvious?" he asked, biting his lip as he tried to decide if it was a good thing or a bad thing that Damien could sense that he was gay. "I mean, I don't act gay do I? I like to think I act like any normal sixteen year old bloke." The truth was, Eli didn't really care that Damien seemed to know he was gay, and it wasn't like he tried to hide it either. He did, however, wonder how many others might have known. If it was more people than he realized, then that would make his job a lot easier. "I'm out to a few people," he explained. "Grace and a few friends. But other than that, I haven't told anybody else. But that doesn't mean that I care. I just haven't really found a need to announce it to the school. But apparently some people already know," he concluded with a shrug.

"No, I want to go alone," he added quickly, happy that this seemed to be Damien's plan. He still hadn't said where they were going exactly. "You still didn't give me a time or a place," he said in a teasing sort of impatient tone. And just then, he realized that Damien's hand was on his arm. Again, and instinctual flinch seemed to be his natural reaction, though he didn't pull his arm away. Clearly Damien had noticed the muscular twitch, and so Eli offered an explanation. "Sorry, this is all kind of new to me." He realized he might have just nailed his own coffin in the graveyard of Lennox conquests, but for some reason he was oddly attracted to Damien which provided a sense of comfort, even if it was just an illusion. "Unlike you," he added, throwing one last jab at Damien's reputation, just another reminder to him that Eli wasn't completely naive nor blinded by his charm.

[Damien Lennox S7]

Perhaps he should thank Carlin, Damien considered mischievously, a shred of deviousness shining through in his expression. He could buy a box of chocolates for her to celebrate his win and subtly remind her that he was now winning so she might as well just eat the chocolates and give up. There was no way that she could pull back the jump ahead that they had agreed on; three in one night for only one person was absurd but Damien hadn’t been about to complain. Unless Carlin knew something that he didn’t, which was usually the case. Damien sent a thoughtful look in Elias’ direction, silently appreciating and acknowledging the faint innuendo with a smirk. Maybe Elias was the type who didn’t have sex unless he was in a committed relationship? That would definitely be troublesome. Three for one or not, Damien didn’t have the time or the inclination for a relationship. He had done all that before and moved on to bigger and better things. If Carlin had known that and still pushed him towards Elias then...then Damien couldn’t do anything about it. She had played the game well, with a skill that he hadn’t yet seen from her. Even if he didn’t appreciate that his cousin had moved on to manipulating him instead of her admirers, Damien had to reluctantly concede how effortlessly she had done it.

“I am lucky that you prefer to make your own judgements instead of blindly believing what people say about me. There’s rarely anything really bad said about me though. Carlin doesn’t take kindly to people insulting her family; she’s a lot less easy-going than I am,” Damien informed him brightly. It wasn’t exactly a gentle warning, because Damien honestly didn’t think that Elias would start bitter rumours when Damien moved on to his next conquest. If he didn’t take much notice of gossip then he was hardly likely to start it. All that Damien had said was the truth. Carlin did have an easily triggered temper and she was exceptionally protective of him when she was acting as his cousin rather than his rival. It was almost adorable actually. She treated him more like a brother than a cousin and that was something that Damien didn’t even get from his own siblings. Oh sure, Alexander, Bryony and Colin loved him with the vague affection of people who didn’t really know each other but felt obliged because they were family but there was always that undercurrent of jealousy and mild hatred. Damien had been lavished with their parents’ attention since the day he had been born whereas his three older siblings had been brought up with more rules and limitations; in their eyes, that meant that he was loved more than them. Damien rather suspected the opposite. His parents couldn’t love him when they barely saw him anymore; he spent most of the year at Hogwarts and the summer with his aunt, uncle and cousins. Even during Christmas, his parents and siblings only saw him for a few days before he was back with Carlin, Cyn and their parents.

“You think I have charm?” Damien asked, his tone deliberately light-hearted and almost teasing. In contrast, his smile was genuinely pleased though just slightly bashful. No one had ever directly told him that he had charm. It had been implied, sighed about, the topic of complaints and just firmly ignored but never straightforwardly acknowledged. It felt nice to be appreciated though part of Damien detested that it was Elias commenting on it. He always found it harder to play about with the ones who acted like they could actually start to like him for what he could offer beyond sex and a night at an expensive restaurant. “I knew that you were worth pursuing because I liked you,” he corrected with a quick shrug. “I didn’t really know whether you were gay or not; that’s why I warned you not to attack me for asking you out. I thought that you were cute and you made me laugh. I like you. Sometimes it really is just as simple as that.” Damien stared at Elias pointedly, a short laugh escaping from his mouth after a few seconds of holding the gaze. Nothing was ever so simple as just liking someone, not for him, not anymore. There was always an ulterior motive, like a challenge from Carlin or their game. But Elias didn’t have to know that. It would be cruel to tell him that Damien was only pursuing him so patiently because of his competitive streak had been awakened by Carlin. “I can’t blame you for being wary though. I know I don’t have a great reputation, except for being excellent in bed. The majority of it isn’t really a lie – especially about the sex. I’ve earned almost everything that’s said about me.”

How cute. Elias had taken the bait with the naivety of a first year being offered a prank sweet from an older student. Damien couldn’t decide whether he was amused or attracted. He didn’t have much experience with people who seemed determined to see the good in him. There wasn’t much good to be seen in him anyway so Elias would doubtlessly soon overcome his gullibility where Damien was concerned. “Dinner and a bar or club sound good?” Damien inquired, allowing Elias to make the final decision about where to go. The Gryffindor had admitted that he was new to this so, to be truthful, Damien felt a bit guilty that his interest in Elias, although sparked during the encounter in the library, had only been really kindled because of an immature challenge. It wasn’t the best way to be initiated to the parts of the adult world that Damien felt so comfortable in. He couldn’t back down though. He just couldn’t. “It’s a good thing that you have me to guide you through it then, isn’t it?” For only the second time during the conversation, Damien’s smirk lost all sharp edges and hidden meaning, remaining solely genuine and reassuring. This would have to be the best date that Elias would ever be on because, if he ever realised the truth about Damien’s motives, Damien would feel like an absolute jerk. He wasn’t as hard-hearted as Carlin. There were times when Damien actually felt some sort of affection for his conquests. He didn’t enjoy breaking hearts in the same way that Carlin seemed to. He just...wanted to be wanted, to be desired. And he enjoyed playing the game, Damien wouldn’t lie about that. He loved the thrill of it, the immense ego boost that came from it. He could never give that up.

[Elias Hunter G7]

Eli couldn't help but continue to be somewhat amused and still ironically attracted to Damien's brutal honesty. It seemed that he was holding nothing back, and maybe that's what was his best quality. It must have been nice though, to be blatantly honest and still be able to have any girl or guy that you wanted. It almost seemed too good to be true. Elias wasn't quite sure.

"Don't let it go to your head, Cassanova," he said with a laugh when Damien seemed intrigued by the compliment of having charm. "But yes, you do. It doesn't really mean much if you don't know how to use it properly," Eli added, letting Damien chew on that thought for a bit. He figured it might pass right through that beautiful head, but it was worth a shot.

Interesting. Damien hadn't been sure of Eli's sexuality, but rather had pursued him simply because he liked him. Elias wondered how much of that was the truth. Maybe five percent of it? Probably just another one of Damien's lines. Just more proof that you could be as charming as you wanted, but even a snake could have some charm. It didn't necessarily mean anything. "You like me?" Now that was laughable. "And what exactly is it in me that you like?" Eli asked curiously. It couldn't have been much, seeing as they barely shared a hundred words up until that point. "Or is it all sexual?" Eli asked, unafraid to broach the topic. He rolled his eyes in amusement. Damien Lennox had just told him that he liked him. Eli never thought that the king of seduction would use such simple and juvenile measures to lure in his prey. Another indication that he really wasn't as bad as his reputation suggested? Eli knew he couldn't get his hopes up. Then again, was there really a downfall to taking the chance to spend some time with Damien and see if he was everything that Eli had heard? It wasn't like Eli was looking for anything serious. A night of fun sounded intriguing, which was why he had agreed to the date in the first place. Maybe Damien had the right idea all along; no strings attached.

"I suppose your experience would be a benefit," Eli agreed with a shrug. Then again, Eli wasn't so sure he wanted to lose his virginity to such a player as Damien. But, that was a thought for a later time, such as when Saturday night came around.

"Six o'clock in the Great Hall. There's no way I'm coming to the dungeons to pick you up. You can choose the restaurant, bar, or whatever, but just one condition. We each pay our own way. And... you have to shave." Elias saw the scruffy five o'clock shadow dusted across Damien's face. And, while he found it somewhat attractive, there was no way he would be kissing a face that felt like sandpaper. "Deal?"

[Damien Lennox S7]

“Oh, you wound me! Your harsh words are breaking my heart. Truly.” Damien cried, shooting Elias a look of purely fabricated agony. He held the expression for a few seconds before shrugging, returning to normal with a laidback grin. Words didn’t really affect him; he had to be in a foul mood already to even start an argument. Damien always found it preferable to causally stroll away from someone who was trying to pick an argument with him than to indulge their childish inclinations. His route of action had the added bonus of incurring a frustrated cry from his would-be opponent; arguing back just brought aggravation to both sides. “Seriously though, if I didn’t know how to use my charm then how would I have persuaded you to go out on a date with me? You seemed pretty reluctant when you were laughing at me for asking you out.”

Damien paused for a moment at Elias’ question about whether his reasons were just about sex. It wasn’t true, but Damien could hardly tell him that he had asked him out because Carlin had turned it into a challenge. Blue eyes coolly assessed the boy standing opposite him, weighing up his options before deciding on a course of action. This would evidently take longer than he thought, though only by a few nights if Damien had judged the situation accurately enough. He could spare a few nights for someone who was new to sex. It was the least he could do, especially when Damien wasn’t even going to consider cancelling the date. He didn’t really know Elias after all, and the game was the most important thing. It was all he knew. “You know my reputation,” Damien answered dryly. “You proved that well enough a few minutes ago. So, obviously, yes, sex is going to factor in to my decision at some point. But that’s not the only reason I asked you out. I think, maybe, it was partly your incompetence. You couldn’t even put a suit of armour back together, not to mention that you were the one who destroyed it.” Damien couldn’t repress his quiet laughter as he effortlessly recalled his first real meeting with Elias Hunter. The attraction had started then, even while he was rolling his eyes at Elias’ lacking ability to rebuild the armour. Damien had even helped, which was something that he didn’t do very often. “And then...” His words trailed off into another low rumble of laughter, lasting nearly a minute before Damien pulled himself together enough to continue, smirking at Elias wickedly. “And then you asked me if I had experience in navigating around a body. I wasn’t sure whether you were being serious or mocking me but I knew that I liked you.”

This wasn’t turning out to be like most dates that Damien had been on, and this was only the planning stages. Most of his dates were happy enough to let Damien pay for them; it was no secret that the Lennox family was a wealthy one, and Damien could be a gentleman when he felt like it. Plus, meeting in the Great Hall? It was just another sign that Elias wasn’t entirely ready for what most of Damien’s dates gave out willingly. He could be patient though. He had faith in his skills and his charm. “Agreed. We’ll meet at six, and I get to surprise you with the destinations.” He had to shave? Damien glanced at Elias, appalled. His right hand rose to his face, thumb brushing against his facial hair with deep consideration. It wasn’t much of a sacrifice to make if it would ensure that Elias would be more open to his advances, he supposed, and it would grow back soon enough. “Fine. I’ll shave. But I suppose this means that I don’t get a kiss to seal the deal?”

Ah well. He could deal with reporting back to Carlin that he hadn’t even been kissed by Elias yet. The date was more than enough to taunt her with for the moment. Even just the thought of Carlin’s reaction was amazingly delightful. Damien wouldn’t tell her until the day of the date though; that wouldn’t give his cousin enough time to interfere with her crafty attempts at sabotaging Damien’s chances. It was all a part of the game, especially in a round with such high stakes, but that didn’t mean that he had to make it easy for her. “Saturday at six. Don’t forget.” He could try to push his luck by feathering a light kiss across Elias’ mouth but, instead, Damien walked away slowly, smiling enigmatically as he stepped through the door to leave. “You should clean up the paint on the floor before you get into trouble. Have fun.”