Boys' Bathroom

[DaniDiNardo]

This bathroom is intended for use by the young men of the school only. Just like the girls' restroom on the second floor, this restroom contains a large sink and a number of stalls. Luckily for you, boys, Moaning Myrtle isn't known for haunting this loo and it will not take you directly down to the Chamber of Secrets. Even so, there is one major downfall: Peeves. He likes to steal the toilet paper in the stalls, so go about your business quickly.

If you are ever in need of extra toilet paper or a towel dispenser needs to be restocked, there is a small cupboard across from the sinks containing all of the bathroom necessities you could ever need. Do the caretaker a favour and keep this restroom clean and in tact. It takes a lot of work to keep the place smelling of fresh lemon, so please refrain from using the last stall -- the toilet will randomly blow up while you are sitting on it. And please refrain from removing the toilet seats and taking them home with you as souvenirs for your younger siblings. Those aren't cheap, you know!

[sweetpinkpixie]

Atlas wasn't sure how he had made it as far as he had with his disfigured fish-eye lens vision, shaky knees, and a tingle in his feet that reached all the way to the tips of his toes. His hands, fingers, may as well have been flutterby shrubs the way they were trembling and the bile that rose up in his throat and was swallowed back had his stomach churning in the worse than the time he and Aries had eaten their weight in licorice wands. That eating contest had landed them both with a trip to the healer and two exasperated parents. Atlas did not want to see a healer right now. He did not want to see anyone. He could...see...feel everyone else just fine without them being present. The eyes of his peers still bore into his skin and the only thing that drowned out the echoes of betray, traitor, and wrong side was the blood pounding in his ears and heart thudding in his chest.

Pushing past his brother as he dipped into the loo first, Atlas practically launched himself into one of the stalls and didn't quite get the lid flipped up before he was hurling up what was definitely not licorice wands. Breathing felt Herculean and his fingers so taught as they clenched it was a wonder they had not snapped right off. Heaving a heavy breath, a gasp and gulp of air, Atlas let out an uncontrollable sob - one that he had been holding back...well...since Headmaster Trent's face had melted away to reveal the harbinger of dread: Lucien Rosier.

[Samia]

Once out of the classroom, Aries had felt so much better - more than he had in the last hour or so - maybe it was the fresh air, maybe it was the fact that he didn't have to deal with History of Magic anymore - at least not until Friday -- but maybe he could convince Atlas to deal with that as well. Times like these were perfect to use this twin thing they had going on.

This and more had been going on in his head - so much so that he naturally didn't notice what was going with his brother, that was until he barged in the loo - like he had TO REALLY REALLY GO. "Geez, Atlas - I thought you already went earlier --- "

Only it wasn't really about that.

...

...

Alert, and more awake than he had been the entire term - he reached the door and knocked on it hard, "Atlas? Atlas, are you okay?"

And then there was that gut-wrenching sob.

"Atlas, open the door!"

[sweetpinkpixie]

The stall door had not actually locked despite it slamming shut behind him, so as Aries knocked it swung open gently by the hinges. Atlas, however, was slumped on the floor with his legs folded and twisted into a rather uncomfortable position to accommodate for the rest of his longer torso that was draped over and around the seat. The smell was putrid, an easy fix with a cleaning charm or two, but he was incapable of speaking and it took all of his remaining energy to push himself back so he could lean against the wall of the stall.

Slumped on the floor, throat dry and hands still clenched into fists, he turned his head and looked sort of helplessly towards his brother. There was an attempt to speak, but all Atlas could manage were shallow wheezes and pained gulps for air.

[Samia]

...

Aries Flamsteed felt so out of his depth right now. He and Atlas were supposed to be one - two halves that made a whole, but right now it was like looking at a stranger. And it made him feel so guilty. Because how did he not notice? How did he not know what was happening? Or why Atlas had insisted to go with him?

What in the merlin’s name actually happened in History of Magic? - and he was able to deduce something had happened because the last time Atlas looked remotely close to how he was now was during the war.

As his brother rolled away from the seat, Aries moved swiftly - crouching beside him and holding his helpless gaze. The stench not bothering him at all, not when Atlas looked like that. Placing his hands firmly on his shoulders, Aries refused to even blink as he stared back into Atlas’ familiar eyes --“Breathe” he simply said. “Breathe”

[sweetpinkpixie]

He knew. HE KNEW.

There was a rabid impulse to bark at his brother for telling him what to do, the obvious thing to do, but as he inhaled sharply to for that much needed air required to do just that...he started choking on the sudden intake of oxygen instead. Aries' hands on his shoulders helped a little, but what did not help was Atlas closing his eyes as an attempt to focus on his breathing. Flashes of horrors, some real...like the muggle dropping dead in front of the entire class... and others figment of his 'what if' imagination came flooding in an stole the air right out of his lungs. It was like anxiety had punched a hole right through his chest and his lungs were being held captive on the wall behind him...because despite breathing being the OBVIOUS thing to do in the moment, Atlas could not get himself to do so evenly.

And, for once, his refusal do so something was not out of spite.

His hand sort of flopped against Aries' arm, clammy and trembling, as he wheezed a few words that were barely audible. "Ho-----d.....ha----d....ho---d---- .... m--.... ha----d..."