"Well of course it does," Garret grumbled, not half as put off as he was sounding. Declan wasn't all that heavy, and even though he couldn't see the dryad's face, he could feel him grinning. That was worth it. Unless this lead to another heart attack, then maybe not so much. But Wesley had done a pretty good job healing Garret up, so he didn't think he was in any danger. Though, speaking of Wesley (that know-it-all jerk)...
"So, I was thinking," Garret said as they made their way out of the trees, "maybe you should go see a healer before you go talk to Keely. I mean... you can be honest without, erm... flaunting what transpired tonight." It might be for everyone's safety, particularly the safety of Declan's testicles, if he not go see his girl with a huge hickey on his neck.
Declan frowned, shifting on Garret's back to bring them cheek to cheek. "Why would I go see a healer?" He was obviously confused for a long moment, and then it hit. "Oh." The bruise. That would probably be a good reason not to go see Keely immediately. "Is there a healer still on campus? Ye'd said one was in London and I know Starbuck is still in Maui."
Finally, they were at the car. Turning a 180, Garret deposited Declan onto the hood of the car, though he didn't step away from him yet. "They wouldn't leave the school with no healers," he reassured him. "I mean, there are still people here, and what would they do if someone got hurt?" Surely there had to be more people than just Starbuck and Wesley running the joint. "I'll bring you, if you want... and come with you to tell Keely... if you want." Garret wasn't really desirous of walking into the lion's den with a steak wrapped around his neck, but he would if Declan asked him to.
Declan was sitting, but that didn't mean he let Garret go. Instead he gave him another tight hug, holding on for a long moment. Dropping his arms and legs, he let Garret turn around. "Nay, dunnae worry about it. I'll take care o' it." He chuckled, though the sound was without mirth. "It'd probably be better if ye weren't around anyways. She canna try ta kill ye then."
It was true, Garret didn't want to be killed by Keely. "I'd deserve it," he mumbled, moving himself to stand beside Declan, sitting on the edge of the car with his hands in his pockets. "I'm... I'm really sorry about this, Dec. For all of it. You were nice enough to take your night off and spend it with me, and how do I thank you? I screw up your relationship and make life harder for you. You don't deserve that." Looking down at his feet, Garret kicked a few pebbles, quiet for a brief moment. "Maybe I should just stay away from you, too," he said wryly. "Before I poison your life with shit."
Declan shook his head. "Don't apologize. I enjoyed tha evening and, truth be told," he sighed, rather embarrassed at having to admit this. "Given tha chance I'd do tha same thing again. I wanted ta make ye smile again. And, for awhile, ye did. That makes it worth it ta me."
Hearing Garret talk about staying away made the dryad reach out to tweak his ear. "Ye just think about leaving me alone and I'll show up e'ry night on yer doorstep, so get tha thought right outta yer head."
Garret wasn't sure what to make of the confession. Declan had done this just to make him smile? Did that mean that he hadn't really enjoyed it, or wanted to do it, or what? That thought was a little unsettling, that Declan had only gone through with this to make him happy. But surely Declan wouldn't do something he didn't ant? He could read into it as deeply as he liked, but eventually it would get nowhere. The point was that, despite whether or not either of them had liked it, it couldn't happen again. Like right now, Garret could not turn his head, lean over and kiss those sexy Irish lips. No.
With a small smile, Garret glanced over. "They all say that. Then they run off and marry men with the personality of a slice of dry toast."