Here, have Henry being even more of an asshole than usual since he's sick, and Basil dealing with him in their college dorm
âBasil,â Henry whined, lying half off the couch and hanging upside down as he spoke, âI am quite certain I am dying. If there is anything of mine youâd like, you ought to take it now, for you are not anyplace in my will.â
Basil sighed, pouring a cup of tea on the other side of the dorm room, âI warned you numerous times that you would catch a terrible fever if you kept staying up till such ungodly hours of the night.âÂ
âYouâre simply jealous that you never get invited anywhere,â Henry said, wrapping himself up in a blanket.
âYou invite me plenty of places, Harry.â
âYes- but I invite everyone places, even people I despise. In fact- preferably people I despise. They always have something wonderfully horrid to say about me.â
âI see illness hasnât taken the edge off your cynicism,â Basil muttered, handing him a cup of tea.
âOf course not! I am most cynical when irritated, and sickness makes me dreadfully irritable.â
âWhat are you generally irritated about then?â
âThe fact that I have no valid reason to be irritated of course!â Henry grinned, sipping his tea.
âItâs a wonder I am not yet cynical,â Basil sighed, âBeing around you is painfully irritating.â
âThatâs the plan my dear Basil!â Henry cried, âIt is most wonderful to have such an effect on people.â
âHave you ever considered having a good effect on people?â
âNo, and I never shall. I am perfectly content as I am. No man should ever change himself, he should change only his passions. And those he ought to change frequently and without thought.â
âDo you ever take a break from saying terrible things Henry?â Basil said under his breath as he sat beside Henry and snuggled up beside him.
âWould you still like me if I did?â
âI would undoubtedly like you much more.â
âHow is that possible when you already love me!â Henry said smugly, wrapping his arm around Basil.Â
âIndeed, I love you, but I most certainly do not love what you say.â
âIâm glad, it makes you far more fun to talk to.â Henry coughed, obnoxiously loud, probably far louder than was necessary, then spoke in an overplayed voice as a sick child would, âBasil, would you make me some soup?â
âOf course I will,â he stood up, âBut you must promise me to stay in some nights! I miss you terribly! You are nearly almost gone.â
âBasil,â Henry whined, âI simply cannot comply! You are tremendously boring, how can you expect me to spend an evening cooped up in here with you? I am sure you will spend the entire time painting anyways, and you never speak when you paint.â
âThen you can make your own soup,â Basil said dryly.
âYou know youâll make me soup anyways,â Henry began, âEither youâd feel guilty naturally, or Iâd convince you to. You are a quite simple person Basil, everything you do is founded on conscience.â
âThat is- what most peopleâs actions are based on, Harry. You are the exception to the rule.â
âI am most certainly not!â Henry cried indignantly, leaning back on the couch with a pillow over his chest, âThere are plenty of people who base their actions on pleasure, itâs a school of thought my dear Basil.â
âThe thing is though, you never base your actions on it, simply your words. I cannot take you seriously when you preach without conviction. You never believe a word you say. I suppose you just like to hear yourself talk, and watch others listen,â he sat on a chair beside the couch and took a pad of paper out, âAnd they always do.â
âOf course they do!â Henry said, smirking, âI am quite brilliant!â
âAnd unbelievably arrogant. I have never met someone so pompously egotistical in all my years.â
âOne of my main aspects of charm,â Henry said, leaning over the couch to watch Basil sketch, âThere is nobody who could ever replace me.â
âThat, at least, is true,â Basil sighed, pencil gliding across the paper.
âBasil,â Henry began, sliding across the couch until he was nearly in Basilâs lap, âCould you get my cigarettes?â
âHarry, youâre sick, you oughtnât smoke right now, it will make you much worse.â
âAh! So you do care about me!â
âI care that Iâll have to listen to you complain,â Basil said, pushing him away, âI canât see my paper when you do that.â
âI donât want you to see your paper,â Henry pouted, âI want you to see me. Basil, pay attention to me. I could die any minute you know.â
âYou just have a mild fever, Iâm sure youâll be perfectly fine. And besides, some time away from the spotlight will do you good.â
âThatâs what will kill me though!â Henry said dramatically, hanging onto the edge of the couch with his knees and resting his head on the arm of Basilâs chair. âI need attention Basil, I need it!â He reached over and tried to tug Hallwardâs pencil out of his hand.Â
âHarry, stop it!â
âBaassill,â he said drawing out the word excessively, âWhy wonât you pay attention to me?â
âBecause I always pay attention to you,â he sighed, pulling the pencil away. âAnd because I have work to do.â
âCanât you do it later? Arenât I important to you?â
âHenry, Iâve known you long enough to ignore your guilt trips. You can just sit there in your own self-indulgent misery until you get better.â
âHow am I meant to get sympathy if I canât go looking for it, and you wonât give me any?â
âOh, I feel so very sorry for you Harry,â Basil began sarcastically, sketching aggressively, âa charming, handsome young man with the world at your fingertips. So sad.â
âIâm sick Basil, how rude you are!â
âPerhaps you are rubbing off on me,â Basil muttered, brushing eraser bits from his drawing.
âDo you think so! I hope so, it would be most satisfying! You are so very set in your values, influencing you has always been a most tremendous challenge. Itâs why I keep you around.â
âSilly me, I thought you kept me around because you liked me.â
âThat too of course!â Henry cried, âI am sickeningly fond of you! It makes me want to hate you, if I am being honest.â
âBut when are you being honest?â Basil asked, looking critically at his sketch.
âWhen itâs the most interesting thing to do, of course.â
âYes, of course,â Basil said nonchalantly, biting his lip as he assessed the picture.
âAre you even listening to me,â Henry whined.
âWhy should I when I already know what you will say.â
âHow insulting! I pride myself on being entirely shocking!â
âYou pride yourself on nearly everything, Harry.â
âBasil. Would you please get my cigarettes? I would be eternally grateful.â
âGet them yourself.â
âI cannot stand up, I am devastatingly ill.â
âI suppose I will need to cancel all your plans for the next week then.â
âI have no plans Basil! I simply have options. I try never to have any sort of obligation, it takes all the charm out of any event.â
âI am not sure why I put up with you.â
âBecause I am clever, and because I am exciting,â Henry bragged, grabbing Basilâs sketchbook.Â
âGive that back Harry, it isnât done!â
Henry sat up and held it above Basilâs reach. Hallward stood up, and Henry poised himself precariously on top of the couch.
âHarry, stop! This is cruel!â
âPromise youâll stop drawing and do something with me?â
âHenry- Henry!â Basil shouted, jumping up and down, trying the reach the sketch pad.Â
âBasil, itâs simple! Just say you will play cards with me and I will return your picture.â
âI hate cards though!â
âSomething else perhaps! Some sort of game though, Basil I am painfully bored, you ought to entertain me!â
âFine! Fine Harry, we can do something, just give it back.â
Henry slid back down onto the couch and handed the paper back to Hallward.
âArenât you curious about what it is?â Basil teased.
âWell I am now!â Henry said indignantly, trying to get a peek at the sketch.Â
âI will show you when it is done, but you must wait, it will do you good to learn a bit of patience.â
âPatience is what principled men use to justify their eventless lives,â Henry said, grabbing at the sketchbook.
Basil ripped it away from him and hit him in the arm with it, âI simply hate that I love you.â
âI hate that you love me as well, it makes me feel as if I owe something to you, and I hate owing things to people.â
âSo long as you love me back, you owe me nothing.â
âOf course I love you Basil, youâre moral enough to challenge me, and clever enough to do it well. I will always love you, though I often worry you will one day move on from me.â
âYou need not worry, Iâve dedicated too much energy to putting up with you to ever leave.â
âHow romantic of you,â Henry smirked.
âI know how you hate excessive sentiment.â
âOnly when Iâm well,â he said, squeezing beside Basil on the armchair and resting his head on the painterâs chest. âI really do love you,â he said softly, wrapping his arms around Basilâs shoulders. He snuggled up against Hallward, yawning. Basil smiled to himself and stroked Henryâs hair,
Oh gosh okay- okay this could be a book on itâs own but Iâm just gonnaâŚ. List stuff. In no particular order because I can never decide how to rate books.
American Gods - Neil GaimanGilâs All Fright Diner - A. Lee MartinezThe Harry Potter Series - J.K. RowlingGame of Thrones Series - R.R. MartinGood Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry PratchettSoul Enchilada - David GilThe Hobbit - J.R.R. TolkienJohn Dies at the End/This Book is Made of Spiders - David WongLetâs Pretend This Never Happened - Jenny LawsonThe Other Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory A Series of Unfortunate Events - Lemony SnicketPride and Prejudice- Jane AustinThe Rock Orchard - Paula WallMidnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - John Berendt