Random stories

We had played DnD for about a decade. Sebastian, Elliot, Leo, and I. We hung out in Leo's basement most of the time because he had the room for it. It was... dumb fun. We never ran an actual campaign, it was basically just improv. "I seduce the guard. He's happily married. I seduce the cell door. It works, and it bends open as it swoons. I fire at the kobolds before they steal the jewel. They dodge and form a leaning tower to flip you off."

Later on, when we got to college we sorta drifted but Sebastian and I stayed tight since we went to the same school, though different majors. I went through to the History department, while he started his Math degree.

One day, we were walking around making jokes and basically reminiscing on the quad. Sebastian failed at a cartwheel and landed in a bit of mud. He shook it off pretty fast. I laughed and said he should have rolled for perception. He didn't seem to notice, worried and focusing on wiping his hand clean.

Back in the common room, we watch tv and he still seems worried, looking at his hand. He'd never been a major germaphobe, but he'd always been careful with his hands. Never liked Cheetos for that same reason.

I'm giving him a little crap about it, trying to lighten things up. I do a somersault, while saying "Roll for Perception". I slam my cheek into the wall right as I end and almost fall over.

He definitely laughs at that, but asks if I'm okay. I look around. It feels like I could see everything for a minute. The outlets. The scratches on the windows. The seams on the carpet. And a bit of dirt on the claw of my best friend, who stood just as awkwardly as he normally did, only scaled and green.

"You okay?" His mouth opened and I could see razor teeth like needles. It was Sebastian's face. His voice. But... it wasn't him.

Just like that, he was back to normal. Black hair, peach skin. But the dirt... the smallest bit of dirt, almost imperceptible hovered barely a fraction of an inch over his hand.

"No. I think...." I pause. "Hey, Seb...?"

"Yeah?" He looked worried. It was still his face. But I felt like I could see under it. The scales moving to form that same human expression.

"Are you a lizard?"

He freezes. Just for barely an instant, but it's there. He laughs, and quickly swats my back.

"Dude, you MUST have hit your head. C'mon. We just need to get some food."

He'd always been fidgety. Always wrapped in layers in winter, even inside.

And that dirt, his palm stayed behind my back, but I swore it was there.

Was he dangerous? Was there some evil plan? Was this actually Sebastian

But I'd been hanging out with him all day. It was just... the normal awkward skittish Sebastian.

'Do I expose him?' I thought. And then what? It... this... he's Sebastian.

We sit down and grab some food. Sebastian keeps holding the hand that fell in the mud in a loose fist. His fingers hidden from view.

A bit into eating I felt his body language change. Like he's getting ready to say something. Before he can, I start talking.

"I've been having some issues with Professor Klein. Riemann stuff just never makes sense to me. How the hell do you figure it out?"

He waits a minute. The way he always had. Like he needs to think out every word.

"You just need to... think of it all as a whole. It's both the total and its parts. Just keep both sides in your head."

"Fucking calc man. Why is it required? It's not like I need to prove this when I become a professor."

"Maybe not you but some of the smarter history guys might." He said and cracked a smile.

He was still Sebastian. My friend.

---

Submitted by Mrrandom314159 on Tue, Apr 05, 2022 to /r/WritingPrompts/

The prompt

"Roll for perception!" you jokingly yell before making a forward roll on the ground. As you come up, you suddenly become acutely aware of the number of power outlets, location of and path to the fire exits, and that your friend Sebastian is actually a lizardhuman.