Poloish and Vera :3

Laiko chuckled quietly, raking his fingers through his fluffy (XD) blonde hair as he considered the predicament before him.
"I want to see." He said decisively, showing almost no hesitation. "I want to see your art, even if it isn't good, because you made it." He concluded, his bright green eyes meeting Damon's gaze and holding it - waiting to see if he had truly grasped the concept of this 'opinion' thing.
Thankfully, Laiko was a fast learned, and once somebody explained something to him properly, he usually got the hang of it pretty quickly. Hopefully, this would be one of those situations.

"Okay, then. I'll look forward to it!" Laiko responded eagerly, before turning his attention to his food.
Considering Laiko's rather overboard enthusiasm and energy levels in, well... Everything - he ate rather politely - exercising manners he could not remember ever having been taught, but that he simply knew by default.
It didn't take long for him to finish his meal, and once he had he got to his feet and took his tray to the pile of dirty trays on the counter, placing it neatly on top.
He made his way back to Damon, then - greeting his friend with a smile and plonking back into his chair. "Any idea what class we have next?" He asked, prodding at his memory for the information, yet without success.

(( O.o !! People are mean. D: *Wails*))

Laiko frowned slightly as he noticed Damon's sudden nervousness. But before he even had a chance to ask his friend what was wrong, it became apparent.
His expression darkened at the tall boy's greeting, which Laiko could tell from Damon's face was clearly not appreciated. Seeing his friend looking so nervous got to him, and before he knew what he was doing, Laiko was on his feet.
"David, is it?" He greeted the newcomer, hoping to draw his attention away from Damon.
"I don't believe we've met. I'm Laiko."
He held out his hand to David, offering a handshake, though his green eyes showed none of his usual friendliness. In fact, his gaze was cold, and his expression hard.

Laiko's eyes narrowed, and he drew his hand slowly back, flexing his fingers as he let it fall to his side. "Do you have a problem with that, David?" Laiko asked slowly, his tone icy. He stepped threateningly forward, and with the dark look in his eyes, the atmosphere changed. Laiko seemed suddenly... Dangerous. "Are you jealous?" He raised his eyebrows, fixing David with a condescending stare of pure disdain. "Are you upset, David, that Damon can find a lover..." Laiko took a step closer, his face inches from David's, staring intimidatingly down at the boy. "...And you can't?" He finished in a low hiss, a faint smirk twitching the corner of his mouth.

"My life, a living Hell?" Laiko repeated, his smirk gradually stretching into a grin, making him seem positively insane. "And are you the one who is going to enforce that? Ha!" Laiko gave a jeering bark of laughter, then met David's eyes directly. "Who gives a damn if I'm gay or straight?" Laiko asked in a deadly whisper. "It doesn't change the fact that you're scared of me. You're terrified. Go on, throw a punch, I dare you." Laiko let the deadly silence drag out - remaining perfectly relaxed - yet standing at his full height - looking all the more threatening from his evident calmness.

Laiko glanced up at Damon's words, blinking in vague surprise as though he'd nearly forgotten that his friend was still there. But before he could even think of responding to Damon's words, David had thrown a lightning-quick punch.
As he saw his friend knocked backwards, Laiko felt a burning sensation he'd never felt before rush through him. A boiling fury like nothing he had ever felt.
He was barely conscious of his actions as David's fist swung at him - yet he wasted no time in reaction. He caught the punch effortlessly - then in one, elegant movement he twisted David's arm back in a painful hold. "You can't treat my friend like that." Laiko hissed darkly - twisting David's arm even further. "You think you can waltz in here, and judge him for being who he is?" Laiko remained silent a moment to let David think about what he had done - then he gave his final say.
"And about what you said before... I would feel honoured to be half the person Damon is!" He snarled the words savagely, ten fell silent and released David's arm, turning instantly away - yet avoiding Damon's gaze. His emotions were out of control. He could not distinguish any one from another, and he had no clue what any of them meant. But for now, he had to stay strong... He had to last this out.
Something, some long forgotten instinct, told him not to show weakness just yet.

Laiko merely shook his head at Damon's words, not trusting himself to say anything. He attempted to get his emotions in check, but he simply had no idea how, so it just wasn't working. "Forget it." Laiko murmured quietly, forcing a hint of a smile and ruffling his friend's hair affectionately.
"I have to go." He muttered quickly, and with that he turned and left the cafeteria.
As soon as he was out, he started running - his long legs pulling him forward in a powerful stride.
And almost instantly, the tears struck. Laiko blinked to clear his vision as he neared the big double doors that marked the entrance to the school. He hauled them open and dashed outside - the fresh air hitting his tear-stained face like an icy blast.
There was nobody out here, and it was peaceful...
Laiko stood a moment, drawing in a deep breath, then he collapsed where he stood, falling to his knees and covering his face with his hands to muffle his sobs. He had seldom cried before... And now he had started, he didn't know how to stop.
He just couldn't stop thinking of what he had done... Of how cruel he had been. He couldn't forget David's yelp of pain - pain that he had caused! Laiko simply couldn't take the guilt. He hated hurting people. He hated it! But he just couldn't let them hurt Damon... His friend. What should he have done...? What could he have done? He wished Mike had been there to tell him what to do. Mike always knew what was right... Kevin did, too. But Laiko just couldn't decide for himself.
What else could he have done?

Whimpering pathetically to himself, Laiko drew his knees up to his chest and bowed his head to rest his forehead upon them. He curled himself into a little ball to escape the harshness of the world of reality he had just discovered for the first time. Laiko's muscular shoulders shook with silent sobs, salty teardrops falling wetly from his eyes, trickling down his face again and again, long after he'd ordered them to stop.

Hearing his friend's voice, Laiko slowly raised his head - his beautiful green eyes shining with tears that finally agreed to stop falling as Damon arrived, for the sight of his friend cheered Laiko considerably. It made him wonder why he had walked away from Damon in the first place if it was only going to make him feel worse. There was no logic there...
Yet one more thing he didn't understand.
"I'm sorry..." He whispered, dropping his gaze to the ground, and wrapping his arms around his knees again. "I- I didn't think, I just-" He broke off then, biting his lip to hold back the tears that threatened to overflow again. He was getting the hang of it now...
"I hurt him, Damon!" He managed finally, tearing at his hair in frustration. "How... Why would I hurt somebody...?"
With a pathetic whimper, he shifted into a cross-legged position and poked at the dirt in front of him in a subdued fashion. His fluffy golden hair flopped forward to cover his face as he bowed his head - feeling once again the guilt of what he had done. In his eyes, nothing could justify hurting somebody. He had no clue of self defence and the like. In fact, the few times he had taken a punch in the past, he hadn't reacted at all - except to feel guilty for hurting his attacker's fist. But back in the cafeteria - when David had been antagonising Damon... It had been like some long forgotten instinct had taken over, and he had followed it out of a habit he could not remember.
His mind and body retained everything they had learned these past 17 years, yet he had no memory of any of it - not since what had happened 2 years before.

"Really?" Laiko asked, blinking blankly. "I thought it was wrong..." He frowned thoughtfully for a moment, then simply shrugged it off - a bright smile lighting his face. If Damon said that it was okay, and that there was no reason to be upset, then that was how it was. "Well, that's fine then." He concluded cheerfully, bouncing to his feet. His eyes were a little glassier than usual, but apart from that, any evidence that he'd been crying his little heart out a moment before had been erased completely. "Come on - what are you on the ground for?" Laiko asked with a laugh, grabbing Damon's hand and pulling the boy to his feet with surprising strength.

"Hmm?" Laiko asked in confusion, tilting his head slightly to one side and watching Damon like a curious puppy. "Well you said I didn't need to be upset, right? So I'm not." He explained this as though it were the simplest thing imaginable - which in a way it was - since Laiko had no idea that it made no sense whatsoever. He blinked innocently at Damon, waiting for the boy's response. He was curious as to why his friend had asked such a question, when he should really have already known the answer...

((I love it!!! *Attacks* Thank you Buddy!!!!!!!! ))


"I... Don't know." He blinked in surprise, considering the question carefully. "I don't really remember... How to decide things for myself yet." Laiko explained. "I mean, some things, you know... But-" He broke off, watching Damon and frowning slightly. He felt like he had done something wrong, but he couldn't quite understand what. "Still, it's fine, right?" He asked with a bright grin, "You wouldn't tell me something if it wasn't true anyway, would you?" He watched Damon cheerfully - his innocent expression brimming with trust.

"Oh, yeah..." Laiko responded, frowning slightly and cupping his chin thoughtfully as he entered the school building after Damon. "I'll get the hang of it soon." He promised, smiling brightly at his friend.
Then, suddenly, Laiko heard a loud shout echoing down the corridor.
"Laiko!"
He spun around, to see Mike running toward him. "Mike!" Laiko returned happily as his friend ran right into him, not even bothering to slow down first. Winded, Laiko half-coughed, half-laughed as he climbed to his feet, grabbing Mike's shoulder to steady himself - since Mike was already on his feet. "Was the principal mad?" Laiko asked curiously, once he had regained his breath, taking a step back and watching his friend. "Nah." Mike responded with a grin - then at Laik's surprised glance, he added "He still is. I ran away. But more importantly, Laiko, who is this."
And with that, Mike whipped around to eye Damon curiously, looking him up and down. "Ah, right! Mike, this is Damon. Damon, this is Mike." Laiko quickly made introductions, then eyed the pair cautiously, hoping that Mike wouldn't prove too much for Damon.