The slim-figured boy lifted his mug, sipping the strong coffee. His eyes roved around the room, focusing on everything and nothing. Another sip, and the mug was sat down, a tiny clunk echoing through the spaceous cafe. He grimaced, pulling a napkin towards him; pleat after pleat after pleat was added to it in his nervousness.
The jingle of the bell over the door, and he looked up; his fingers stilled, the pleating stoped for the time being. Instead his eyes narrowed, and he glared at the young man who had walked in; idiotic smile, check. Rainbow hair, check. It was Pen, alright.
'Hey! Long time no see, Red!'
The nexcomer did not trouble to keep his voice down, and those around him scowled. The boy merely sighed, looking as if he was losing his last scrap of patience.
'Rede. My name is Rede, not Red.'
A casual shrug and the odd man sat down, eyes twinkling with mischief. 'Rede, Red, what's the difference?'
The boy huffed, even as he glared up at the other man; his hands, trembling slightly, pulled the napkin back. Pleat, pleat, pleat.
'Just because you're a year older...'
The man scowled, eyes roving across the other patron's in the coffee shop as he avoided the young man's gaze. 'You know this has nothing to do with age.'
A tiny noise of agreement (or was it fear?) was the only respose he recieved. His eyes roved again, before finally settling back on the boy.
'You're the one who lives in the padded room, remember?'
The story's kinda...really bad, yeah. It sounds better in my brain. It has a second part, but should I bother posting it?