Boredom kills you slowly.

Quinn sighed, it was a new school year and she didn't know if she'd be teaching. She ran a hand through her hair and collapsed on her chair behind her desk, she was bored as ever and needed to do something. Pulling out her wand, she began to draw a picture in the air which was taking shape when she heard a knock on the door.

She quickly tidied herself up and stood, she was only wearing trackie pants and a tight singlet shirt.

Ryan felt as if it had been much too long since he'd last paid a visit to Quinn. Actually, now that he thought about it.. the last time he'd seen her was about two months back, Christmas time when she'd popped by his house. He didn't realize it until now as he walked toward her office, but he had missed her immensely. He wondered how mad she'd be with him for not having come to see her even sooner.

Running his fingers through his slightly tousled hair (which decided it wanted to stick up in random directions, but he knew it looked fine either way) he came to a stop in front of the familiar door. Smoothing out his attire - because he was dressed well, as always - he brought his fist to the door, waiting a moment until he was allowed in.

Peeking through the small crack he made, he didn't open it to reveal himself fully just yet. "Guess who." He called through teasingly.

Quinn saw the door move and raised her brow but she waited until she heard the voice. Her eyes lit up and she bounded forward, opening it properly and launching herself into his arms.

"RY!" she squealed happily, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek.

"What are you doing here?"

Ryan couldn't help but grin widely when the door opened completely, and it was clear to him that she wasn't upset.. or well, she didn't look like she was. His arms opened automatically and soon she was in them, causing him to laugh when he heard her squealing his name happily.

"Hey Quinn." He said cheerfully, his hands settling on her lower back. He leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek as well, his blue eyes dancing across her familiar face.

"Had to come see my beautiful best friend after being apart from her for so long." He teased with a wink, still hugging her. "How've you been, stranger?"

"I've been better," her grin slightly faltered but picked back up again. "Quazar is going to be a dad..." she chuckled, letting go of him and letting him walk into the room. She waved her hand and the painting disappeared and the fireplace sprang to life.

"How have you been handsome?" she chuckled, tugging her pants up a little bit.

He felt his head tilting to the side a fraction, curious as to what had been going on to cause her to loose her smile for a moment. "Oh, what's wrong?" He mused, letting his arms fall back to his sides when she did.

He followed her into the room, chuckling with a raised brow when he heard Quazar was going to be a father. "Good for him. Seems like he's been doing just fine then." He said with a smirk, glancing around as he felt the warmth from the fireplace.

His attention moved back to Quinn just in time to see her picking up her pants slightly, but he decided not to comment on it. "I've been.. well.. good. But lately.. could be better." He replied, using the same words as she had before.

"So what's been happening with the ex? the baby?" she chuckled, grabbing a bottle of fire-whiskey from a cupboard and two glasses before sitting down on the couch in front of the fire.

"I think we're going to need a few of these before the night is over.."

She poured out the glasses and placed them on the coffee table, her office was different from most teachers as it was more like a lounge room than an office.

"Quazar is back home now, I have a little rabbit called Pebbles to accommodate my animal companionship-ness..." she smiled, her eyes straying to a box in the corner of the room.

Ryan made a slight face, almost one resembling a wince, when he heard her first question. He noticed she had seemed to avoid the question about what was bothering her, but he let it go for the moment being. He didn't say anything to her question for a few moments, watching as she grabbed fire-whiskey and two glasses. He couldn't help but smirk appreciatively.

"I think you're right." He muttered as he wandered over to where she was, picking up one of the glasses before he took a sip. He enjoyed the feeling of it burning down his throat, before he lowered it from his lips and turned his eyes back to her, nodding. "Oh?" He mused, surprised that Quinn and Quazar were actually separated from one another. He followed her gaze toward the back of the room where a box was, and he chuckled. "How old?"

Eventually, he realized he'd neglected Quinn's question, and with a sigh he went back to it. "As for the ex.. she showed up at my house a couple weeks back." He didn't mention what she'd been dressed in, or her intentions. "As for the baby.. he's actually seven. His name's Nathan... and considering my name is not on the birth certificate, he is not to know I'm his father." He finished, not hesitating to throw back the booze. Quinn had been the first he'd admitted this to... hm.

Quinn listened quietly, occasionally sipping the drink she had in her hand.

"Well, Pebbles is only 2 months old and I found out that a particular headmistress is pregnant to the bloke I think I'm in love with..." she shrugged and drank the rest of her drink in one hit, she ran a hand through her hair and slumped into the soft plush couch.

"Seven, seven years old and she just decided to tell you now?" she said, her eyes bugging out of her head.

"Bitch," she muttered, pouring herself more and refilling Ryan's glass.

"How's the missus?"

Ryan took a seat on one of the couches next to Quinn, twirling his now empty glass in between his fingers. He nodded slightly when she mentioned the age of the rabbit, but his eyes widened slightly and he glanced toward her face when he heard the words "pregnant" "in love" and "headmistress."

He'd known Aubrey was pregnant, considering they were pretty good friends.. but he hadn't been aware of who the father was, and that Quinn was in love with him? "Who's the bloke?" He asked, his eyebrows pulling together as he tried to come up with the name himself. "I'm sorry, that's a tough hit." He mumbled, nodding in appreciation when she re-filled his glass.

He decided not to apologize again, because he knew sympathy wasn't something many people wanted, himself included. He did feel bad for his best friend though.. that had to be terrible to deal with. He took another sip of the alcohol when he heard Quinn call Isabelle a bitch. He didn't bother correcting her much like he would any other time.

At the mention of Leighton he brightened slightly, but not much. "She's good.. we're going through a.. slightly difficult time right now.." His expression became tired. It felt good to be able to talk to Quinn about it though. "I just hope we make it through.." He sighed with a small shrug.

"Do you remember that guy? Nikolai Alkaev from Leighton's party?" Quinn sighed, feeling the tears prick in her eyes and brushed away the ones that fell. "Yeah, him..." she sighed took another sip of her drink.

"The funny thing is, I didn't hear it from him directly and I heard it on the grapevine." she put her glass down and brought her legs up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs.

"A rough patch?" she said quietly, looking at him sadly. Him and Leighton were so cute together, they were perfect for each other.

"You'll make it through, you guys are amazing together.."

Hearing the name, his eyebrows pulled together again, his forehead creasing in concentration. After a moment though, the face did come to mind, and he nodded his head up and down slightly. "Yeah.. I do." He paused, his eyes turning toward her when she didn't say anything. He noticed the tears and frowned, automatically sliding a bit closer to her and reaching out to rest his spare hand on the top of her knee. "Don't cry, Quinn.." He said softly. He hated seeing a woman cry, and she wasn't any different.

He shook his head back and forth in slight disgust when she said how she'd found out. "That's disrespectful. You don't deserve that." He muttered, his hand still resting on her knee. When she moved he brought his hand back to his side though, taking another long sip of his drink before he was placing it on the table as well.

He leaned back, sighing with a small nod when she repeated his words. He couldn't help but chuckle and give her a small smile when she said that they were amazing together and that they would make it through. "Thanks, means a lot.." He mused, before deciding to continue. "I.. she told me about some things.. and I have to tell her about Isabelle and Nathan.." He shook his head sadly.

Quinn smiled gently and entwined her hand into his, friendly and comfortingly. She didn't have Nikolai anymore, he had vanished into thin air...

"You'll sort it out Ry, I know you will."

To change the subject, a familiar smirk settled onto her lips and she leaned very close to his neck.

"We never finished that 20 questions game a few months ago..." she breathed against his neck and chuckled, leaning back and settling deeper into the couch.

Ryan offered her a slight smile, squeezing her hand gently when he felt her smooth skin against his. His shoulders rose and fell in a small shrug. "I hope so." It was the only thing he said, because honestly.. he just wasn't so sure at this point. And it hurt. He sipped on his alcohol before placing it back down, exhaling slowly.

He blinked a bit in surprise when Quinn leaned forward suddenly, and he chuckled a bit when he heard her whispered words. Her hot breath on his neck was enough to make him shiver, but he managed to contain it. Well, that was certainly a way to distract him.

"Oh, you remembered." He teased with a wink. "Who's turn was it?" He added curiously. He wasn't even sure if he remembered.

Quinn smirked as she noticed the change in his attitude.

"I think, it was yours..." she took a sip of her alcohol and resisted the urge to jump him, she was in a cuddly mood today.

"But if it wasn't, what's your favorite sex position..." Quinn burst out into giggles, she felt like she was in sixth year again with the stupid questions her dorm mates had asked her.

Ryan made a small yet playful face at Quinn when she suggested that it'd been his turn. "But of course." He said with a chuckle, before he slung his arm in a friendly way around her shoulders, casually pulling her closer to him. He'd missed his best friend, and although he didn't want to admit it, he knew her being closer to him would make him feel better. She always made him feel better, it seemed to be something she was talented with. Not that he was complaining of course.

His brow rose and he couldn't help but laugh at her question. "You expect me to narrow it down to just one?" He said with a smirk, his expression amused. "I can if you insist..." He reached out to take another sip of his drink, the smirk still toying with his lips as he already began shortening the list in his head.