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Ruskin walked over to the corridor with excitement. He was finally free from his tasks which meant that he could join the college party - and more importantly, his beloved Charles. Charles, who was the editor-in-chief of the college's newspaper, was already there to make a report and most likely to take some compromising videos on certain students in the partying crowd as well. This was what Charles was always doing, but Ruskin was never bothered by it. He was deeply in love with Charles ever since he came to the college this year and first saw him, and not even the fact that the man had a horrible reputation could turn Ruskin away from trying to flatter him. Ruskin started stalking Charles and kept leaving gifts in front of his door until Charles caught him in action. But instead of getting angry, he let Ruskin follow him and made him his personal secretary. It was fitting for him, as Ruskin was taking Secretarial Studies anyway. And with that day, Ruskin got a new goal - he wanted to be on Charles' side even later on, after they graduated and continue being his assistant when he didn't only manage one newspaper - but several.
However, tonight Ruskin only wished for one thing. To finally see Charles and join him for the fun. The last time they saw each other was in the morning when they parted in their room and Ruskin terribly missed his beloved. He hated being apart from the other man for a long time, he could barely endure it.
And one day was a long time for him!
Ruskin finally reached the room where the party was held. He stepped in and he was almost taken over by the crowd. The music was playing loudly which made several students dance, some of them, who were not fond of this activity, or not drunk enough for it, were standing or sitting in the corner and chatting with the others. Among the talking ones, Ruskin spotted the criminology student Sherlock Holmes and his boyfriend, the youngest of the three Moriarty brothers, Louis - Ruskin hated them for kept pranking his beloved Charles and anytime he saw them, he wanted to pay back the debt, but now, he had better thing to do. He looked over at the people at the corner, his eyes kept searching for Charles. He knew that he would find him there somewhere, Charles never danced, he only made fun of those who did. But Ruskin didn't have luck. Charles seemed to be nowhere. Ruskin speculated that he was on the toilet or left the room for some other reason, so he was ready to turn around to continue the search - when his gaze fell on a familiar figure in the dancing crowd. He recognized him immediately, but he just stood there, completely frozen, unable to believe his own eyes. Charles, his malicious, serious Charles who usually recorded drunken people in parties to make fun of them later on... was now dancing among them?!
This didn't seem right. Ruskin knew that something was terribly off and it was him who needed to discover what was that. Other than him, no one cared about Charles. So Ruskin walked there and grabbed the other man's arm, trying to distract him. Charles turned around and the smile on his face widened even more when he spotted Ruskin.
"Oh, you are finally here!" He cried out excitedly and gave a kiss to Ruskin's mouth. "Come and dance with me!"
Ruskin didn't know what scared him more - the offer or that Charles, who usually didn't like displaying public affection, just kissed him in front of everyone else. It made his suspicion stronger that something was indeed not right. He tried to make Charles still, not letting him drag him away with himself and observed his face. Charles was flustered and his golden eyes were strangely shining. He looked like he was drunk, but Ruskin was sure that nothing would make Charles drink alcohol which he was aware that he didn't take well. The last thing Charles would have done is ridiculing himself with a behaviour like this... which meant that someone had probably set him up and drugged him.
The possibility terrified Ruskin. Even if Charles was loathed in the college, he had no idea who would go that far and why - but he was sure that he can't leave the other man here. He needed to take him to the medical office as fast as he could and take care of him while the drug wore off. He can never let Charles get hurt by others or cause harm to himself. He held Charles' hand stronger and he tried to pull him along with himself, out of the dancing crowd.
"Charles, we need to go now." He said to him in a soft voice. "We can't stay."
"Why?" Charles tilted his head with amusement. "The party just started. I want to dance with you, Ruskin. We never shared a dance, did we?"
Under normal conditions, Ruskin would have gone insane from the happiness over the fact that Charles wanted to dance with him, but he knew that only the drug was talking from the other man. Besides, he has no time for this. He needed to get Charles out of here - and fast.
"We can dance later. But now, we need to go." He stated vehemently and he tried to drag Charles out of the dancefloor. The other man tried to oppose and made Ruskin's job harder, but his determination was strong enough that soon, he was able to get Charles out of the room, to the somewhat silent corridor.
"Party killer. You are no fun, Ruskin." Charles complained and he still tried to tear himself out of Ruskin's arms. "When I could finally feel free!"
"You would regret it tomorrow, believe me." Ruskin attempted to calm him down while it crossed his mind how many people could record Charles' drugged behaviour and post about it later on. Tomorrow, Charles would not only regret this, but be really angry about it, even if it was not his fault. Ruskin was sure that in Charles' current state, he can't get out of him who is responsible for all of this. Besides, now Charles' health was the most important. He needed to get him to the doctor.
"Hey, Charles." Ruskin decided to change tactics. "What if you come with me somewhere and then we will go to our room and continue the fun... just for the two of us?" He brought it up in his most seductive voice, kissing the other man's neck what he knew well how much Charles loved. The kiss finally made an effect where the words didn't. Chsrles stopped fighting and remained still in Ruskin's arms.
"I'm in. You know that I love you." He winked at Ruskin whose breath got cut away from the confession. Ruskin was aware that Charles would never say this and it was still just a drug - but he decided that he will forever keep this in his memories. When Charles said it for the first - and possibly last time - that he loved him.
"I love you, too. You are my life." Ruskin responded and he kissed Charles again before he gently made him walk away from the medical office.