pretentiously devoted

---

It wasn’t surprising that after she called him a lust demon (“Implied! Implied!”) that Julian would feel tempted to prove her suspicions correct.

While he was just getting into the swing of being someone’s boyfriend properly, he couldn’t help but notice it wasn’t just him who was shooting glances at the short girl who claimed Dwight as her idiot best friend. No, said best friend seemed to be doing the same as his boyfriend- and it hadn’t gone unnoticed.

“How do you manage to just be friends with her?” Julian asked, lying on the end of Dwight’s bed, quietly as Sadie poured over a book at Dwight’s desk. Her curls fell over her shoulders, brushing her back and framing her profile as he looked over at her.

“What? What do you mean?” Dwight shuffled down, leaning on his elbows.

Morgan and Lucas had gone off to corral the Walters siblings; so it was just the three of them. It should have been awkward, but instead Julian felt a spark of opportunity he had a duty to try and make flow into a live wire.

“I mean, how do you exist with a friend like that and stay only friends? No spin the bottle, no awkward boners at sleepovers, no crushes in those deep dark formative years-”

Dwight slapped a hand over his mouth, “It’s not like that. We’re just friends.”

“Yeah like you and I are just special buddies with butt benefits. As if.” Julian looked back to see Sadie adjusting her bra strap. She sniffed and looked over to them curiously. Julian countered with a cheeky smile she simply rolled her eyes at.

“You’re being gross. Don’t tell me you have a crush on my friend.” Dwight said, sounding a little hurt.

“Shut up- I still like you. I’m just saying you find her hot too. She’s got a thing about her. She’s not like the Hollywood types I know-”

“You mean all size nothings who won modeling contests at birth?” Dwight offered sarcastically. He didn’t disagree though. Which was unsurprising when he had seen Dwight looking a little too long at her at the pool; which frankly, he didn’t mind. Let him know beforehand and open sesame relationship, just like their legs hopefully.

“Don’t knock it, if you were a girl that bone structure would put you right there with all the Hollywood types, Winona Ryder style. Nah, I mean she’s got a confidence that doesn’t stem from her looks. She could tell you that you were shit and you’d just say ‘thank you ma’am’.” Julian said with a hint of awe.

“You’re into that? Always seemed a little rude honestly.” Dwight murmured.

“Not if you do it with someone who thinks its hot when someone admits they’re a dirty little-”

“Okay! Rude shit. That’s my best friend you’re talking about!”

“What kind of shit is he talking now?” Sadie turned in her chair, looking over at the two of them huddled together on the bed. Her eyebrow arched, questioning.

Dwight said, “Nothing!”

Julian smiled, “I think it’d be hot if you called me a piece of shit. Consensually and all that.”

Sadie blinked. “Dwight what kind of shit is your boyfriend on about now?”

“I apologise for him, he’s a nuisance.” Dwight said trying to push Julian off the bed.

“Sure, punish me because we both think your friend is hot. Actually do, I’m sure you have some shit to work out while pretending you aren’t checking out your best friend’s ass sir.”

Dwight turned bright red and hid his face in the blankets. “Kill me now. Just shoot me in the head.”

“No, then you wouldn’t be able to see her coming towards us like she’s gonna kill us. It’s a good look on her.” Julian narrated, pleased as she did just that.

She dragged Dwight up by the chin, “You never said you thought I was hot.”

Julian looked delighted at this. Dwight just looked like he wanted to jump out the nearest window.

‘We’re friends, you’re like a sister-”

“You’ve never had a sister, bullshit. You don’t know anything about having a sister.”

“Sweet Home Alabama.” Julian sang under his breath before Sadie giggled, leaving Dwight alone.

She regarded him, sitting on the edge of the bed, “You’ve been checking me out, both of you?”

“Dwight here refuses to admit to anything but I’m fully committed to honesty now, so I have no problem saying I’ve been wondering what it’d be like to have my head on your chest- or between your legs. They’re pretty curvy, I’m kind of into it.” Julian said, “I’ve gotten good reviews on my oral, ask Dwight.”

“Please don’t.” Dwight said. “It’s bad enough you said that to me, let alone to her.”

“You two are together though, isn’t this-”

“I’m up for sharing if he is.” Julian offered.

“Just because I won’t call you a slut doesn’t mean you have to try to outsource.” Dwight moaned into the blankets. “Give me a break here.”

“And yet you’d totally get a boner if Sadie and I started making out right now.”

Sadie trailed a hand along Julian’s arm, “Hmm Dwight, I think he’s being serious.”

Dwight glared at him. “You’re a fucking tease Larson.”

“Apparently. But it’s all up to the lady. Also fix your zipper, you’ve been staring at her ass again beautiful.”

Dwight grumbled as he adjusted himself. Sadie laughed. “You’re impossible Dwight. Get yourself a boyfriend and all he wants to do is misbehave.”

“He’s his own perso-”

Sadie slid a hand into Julian’s hair and yanked. Julian yelped and Dwight reached out to pull her away, but she and Julian only grinned at one another.

“You want in on this babe?” Julian asked, flicking his eyes to Dwight then back up at Sadie who had a wicked grin across her face.

“I-I-“ Dwight couldn’t get the words out.

Sadie laughed, “Just watch and learn then. Clearly you need a lesson in how to control your fussy little sluts.”

She hauled Julian up by the nape of his neck, his scalp burning in such a nice way as he groaned into it. Dwight gulped, sitting back wide-eyed and watching as her expression turned to a calm, controlled smile.

---

The Valentines Fair was huge this year; so huge they’d teamed up with Dobry Hall and just rented a fairground outside of town. Julian had planned to just stay in his room all day, given what happened last year. Murdoch refused, telling him he couldn’t have any special privileges when everyone else was out helping with the event.

So instead, he was there… and doing nothing to help because fuck his fellow Stuarts. They’d been following him all week, babying him like this was supposed to help him out emotionally or something. He knew he had baggage, but that was his own business. Let him just ignore these dramatic boys and try, in vain, to have a good day.

Between Logan pretending he’d had feelings for him all along, Sebastian reappearing to say ‘le fuck your healing process’, and whatever bullshit Derek hadn’t grown out of; he was planning to just avoid anyone he knew. Maybe he’d find some of the Day students. Wait, no, Riley Paige would get him to help with something. Fuck; maybe he could find one of Royal’s booths and just chill with Merril. It was almost enough to make him give up on boys altogether; shit, girls were so much less dramatic than these assholes he lived with.

He was looking for Merril’s booth (she’d texted him a pile of apple and pear tarts, so surely he could just follow the smell?) when he saw a short girl chasing Dwight Houston and Bancroft’s sister through the tents, yelling something about rocks. They looked frantic, escaping through a hole in a Hanover tent while she slipped on some of the half-frozen grass; still frosty in the February sun. That sucks… he should do something.

“Hey, need help?” He asked, walking up cautiously; she could be a fan after all. “You took quite the dive there.”

“No, I got it.” She sighed, standing up and brushing herself off. Her hands were red, but not skinned despite the fall. “I just suck at walking I guess.”

“I couldn’t help but notice you trying to kill Houston and Bancroft. Anything those two idiots do to annoy you?” Julian asked, genuinely curious. Dwight Houston did a lot of stupid shit; but his first thoughts usually revolved around whatever Derek did to piss off girls, and that didn’t seem like Houston’s style.

She shook her head, “They lost the collection of gems I had on display for our booth for Prima. Now I have nothing to sell, so Royal is going to take the prize for Dobry.”

“And why’d you trust those two with it?” He knew them by reputation alone for getting into trouble; but not much else.

“Because those two happen to be my best friends.” The girl said, sounding like she couldn’t quite believe it herself. She put on a faint smile though, looking up and sticking out her scraped hand. “Sadie Moore, maybe you’ve heard of me.”

“Julian. Shame enough, I haven’t.” He shook her hand. “You’re new aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I transferred up here from Florida for Junior Year; but from the way the girls in Dobry go on, I’ve become some kind of one woman rumour mill.” She shivered. “It’s freaking cold up here. I don’t know how you all deal with it.”

“Don’t ask me. This winter is just as bad to me. I’m from California and everytime it snows here I get whiplash.” Julian smiled as she laughed. It was a nice laugh. “And one-woman rumour mill? What’s with that?”

She rolled her eyes, “Dobry girls see romance everywhere they look; a chunk of them think I’m dating Dwight, the other half won’t shut up about that time I kissed Laura, and the rest of them think I’ve gotten both of them, when like? Fuck you just cause I’m bi doesn’t mean I’m a slut. Jeez, it’s 2012, I just want to enjoy the Valentines Day Fair without all that.”

“You’re bi?” Julian asked, before he could stop himself.

She wrinkled her nose, suspicious. “Yeah. You got a problem with that?”

“No! Just, I don’t meet many people who just say that aloud to people they just met, you know?”

Julian didn’t like being on the back foot with people. Let alone being caught off guard. Sadie kept looking at him until her expression cleared and she judged him not a biphobic asshole- which, wouldn’t that be ironic?

“I guess you’re right. Hey, you want to walk around? I guess I’m off booth duty until someone can find my gems; unless you have your own booth to get to?” She looked over his jacket, “Stuart? I don’t want to get you in trouble.”

Julian laughed, “I was ordered to show up and nothing more than that. And gems? Like? Rubies or something?”

“Semi-precious at most.” She explained, launching into a long diatribe about online ‘healing crystals’ versus her own, far superior, ethically mined quartz.

By the time they rounded Hanover’s Ferris Wheel (the compromise for a less dangerous ride this year), Julian’d caught himself laughing at Sadie’s geology jokes; sharing the time he snuck up to the Hollywood sign; learnt Sadie liked heavy metal; and told the entire story of Clark, Marcie, and him engaging in a spicy noodle challenge back in LA. He hadn’t even realized they’d walked that far; engrossed in conversation.

The air was turning colder, nipping his ears and turning the tip of Sadie’s dark nose red. She coughed, sticking her hands under her arms. “Fuck, this place is shit. How do people live up here?”

“You were here for December right? You saw it snow, and that didn’t scare you away?” He asked.

“Oh no, snow is pretty!” She insisted, “I’ve gone skiing with my parents in Whistler, that’s fun! But this? Where it’s just grey and gross and cold? Uh, it’s so stupid.”

“Well you not wearing gloves, so maybe that’s why?” Julian pointed out.

She rolled her eyes. “Logic. Facts. Maybe I don’t like gloves?”

“You forgot them didn’t you?”

She flushed. “I lent them to Laura actually, she forgot her own back at Prima.”

Julian looked down at her biting the inside of his lip considering. Ah fuck it. He pulled off one of his own gloves and handed it to her. “Here, put your other hand in your pocket. It should be fine.”

Her eyes widened. “You sure?”

“Yeah, whatever.” He looked over at the booths; they were squarely in Hanover territory. Huh. How long had they been walking? He should say hi to Abbot. But he was probably busy running things over here.

“Thanks.” Sadie said, her left hand stretching experimentally with a too-large glove and the right nudging his elbow. “That was pretty nice of you Mr. Larson.”

He snorted. “I was wondering when you’d realize.”

“I don’t watch many dramas. So, it took a bit to realize you were that movie star who goes here.” Sadie said, “Sorry I can’t say I’m a fan of you stuff.”

She looked genuinely apologetic; he shook his head far too quickly. “No, no, that’s… that’s a good thing.”

Julian could count on one hand the amount of people he’d known who were fans first, who he’d genuinely come to like as people. It was nice to talk about work and that was it; it was just work. Half the reason he’d decided to come back to Dalton was to have just a slice of that normal experience. And if he was bombarded by fans? Well, how normal was that?

“Oh, okay.” She said, confused by the quick refusal. “I guess, you want to keep walking?”

“Yeah. Tell me more about skiing, I’ve never gone all the way up to Whistler. Are you good at it?”

It continued like that; making the rounds of the booths, pocketed hands bumping against each other as they avoided the clusters of people pushing their way forward. Every so often Sadie would spy another Dobry girl and lament the loss of her inventory for her booth; but thankfully, Julian was so out of context next to her, there wasn’t an awkward encounter. It was weird, every second Dobry girl they ran into seemed to ask about Bancroft or Houston, expressing surprise they weren’t with her.

“I guess you were right about the Dobry rumour mill. It’s going full force this year.” Julian joked.

Sadie rolled her eyes. “It’s annoying, but hey, considering they’re off hiding together the rumours will hopefully leave me out of it after today.”

“You’re not worried they’ll start to connect you and me then?” Julian asked, the notion suddenly appearing in his own head.

“Like half of them even realized who you were. You’re not going around advertising you’re the famous Julian Larson; and standing next to Dobry’s current resident witch doesn’t help put two and two together.” She pointed out.

“I just haven’t turned on the charm.” Julian joked; it was an old Hollywood myth, but it had some truth to it about hiding in plain sight. He could stride forward, and let everyone know who he was, but it was nice to not have to chase off a horde of teenaged girls (and boys) this year. God knows last year was a shitstorm for that kind of thing.

“Julian!”

“I guess you turned it on.” Sadie smiled, before turning to see Derek coming towards the two of them. She frowned. “Oh, its that guy.”

“You know Derek?” Julian asked before Derek cut him off.

“I’ve been looking for you everywhere! You haven’t been answering your phone. We needed you to help with the Lunch Tent.” Derek was annoyed. That much was obvious.

“I’ve had my phone on silent. Murdoch told me to show up, and that’s all I’m doing. I don’t care if Stuart loses again this year; I just want to have a Me Day.”

Derek’s eyes flicked over to Sadie, “Me Day huh?”

“Come off it, not everyone is a Don Juan wannabe like you.” Sadie’s gloved hand went to her hip, daring him to say anything further.

Derek blinked, alright then. He looked back to Julian, reaching out to pull him away. “Come on, I’m not doing Logan’s prefect duties alone.”

“Why not just let Logan do them?” Julian countered, stepping backwards.

Derek gave him a look. “You know it’s a two-person job, if not a three person job trying to control these freshman on any project.”

“Sounds like not my problem.” Julian shrugged. “Ask Murdoch for help, I’m out of here.”

“Julian!”

“He said no.” Sadie said firmly before Julian reached out and tugged her hand, motioning towards the gap in the booths. His almost laugh met her mischievous eyes.

Before Derek even knew what was going on, Sadie and Julian had taken a page out of her own pursuit that morning and ducked between the booths, darting down and around staves and tent poles to lose him. Maybe they ran for longer than necessary, maybe that was half the fun. They reached the Windsors row, gasping for breath and laughing.

“Do you think he tripped and fell?” Sadie asked, brushing her curly, brown hair out of her face.

“No, he’s more coordinated than that.” Julian said.

Sadie shrieking with laughter and shoving him, “You’re so rude!”

“You’re the one who faceplanted!”

“By accident!”

“It was funny.” Julian pointed out, avoiding Sadie’s playful shove and instead catching her hands and looking down at her like he was lecturing her. “These are dangerous weapons, I ought to report you for use of deadly force. Except I won’t, because you’re tiny.”

“Short jokes? Really?” Her grin betrayed that she found it just as funny. “Well, at least I don’t hit my head on doorframes.”

“You laugh, but I always have to duck getting into limos.”

“Oh that is the most Hollywood thing you have said yet.”

“I’ve babysat Angelina’s kids.”

“Angelina Jolie?”

“I can go on.”

“Oh my god, you’re a dick.” Sadie laughed, “I’d hex you, but I don’t think it would stick.”

“So they’ve been saying about me, since the day I was born.” Julian said, dramatically put upon. “I endure such slings and volleys of-”

“If you start quoting Shakespeare, I will lose it.”

“Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage-” Julian grinned, ignoring Sadie’s protests to get him to quiet.

“I suck at English, come on!”

“And then is heard no more: it is a tale, told by an idiot,” Julian continued.

“Yeah! You’re the idiot!” She tried to interrupt.

“Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

“Yeah, my fury. Goddamn you actors.” She said, looking up with pink cheeks to stick her tongue out at him. “If I could just recall lines like that, I’d never have to use a spell book again, I’d just memorize them all.”

“It’s a gift. What can I say? Not everyone is as good as me.” Julian teased to Sadie’s exasperated smile.

They paused, realizing Julian was still holding her hands and sprang apart; not realizing how close they were. Julian felt his own face flush but hid it well enough. Now wasn’t the time, nor the day, to really get close to someone; even if she was quite pretty, he had to admit to himself.

“Uh, so back there you seemed to know Derek. Even though it took you a bit to realize who I was?” He tried.

She coughed, waving a hand carelessly. “Yeah, well everyone in Prima got to witness what can only be described as the most pathetic display of pining in the history of the world. Casey’s already told everyone to stay away from him because she said he’s a cheater; but then he showed up one day before Winter Break with this giant apology bouquet, and get this, it’s full of white lilies- which I didn’t know she was allergic to, but if you really feel that way about her, maybe? I don’t know? Know her allergies? But also, those are funeral flowers. As far as apologies go, it’s pretty shit.”

“You’re friends with Casey?” Surprise tinged Julian’s voice.

“Not friends per say, but she’s part of the welcoming committee. She’s pretty cool.” Sadie clarified. “How are you friends with a guy like that?”

Julian shrugged. “Derek’s pretty cool. He’s a really good friend when you get down to it, but yeah he is kind of shit with girls. I guess that’s what happens when your best friend since childhood is a gay guy. It’s not like he’s really been comparing notes. Logan and him aren’t that bad once you get to know them.”

“Well, I guess I have pretty biased sources.” Sadie said, waving around at the Windsor tents. “If my friend Morgan’s cousin wasn’t one of yours, I think I’d probably just see a Stuart badge and kick you guys on sight.”

“So violent Miss Moore.” Julian smiled. “We are kind of dicks though, so fair enough.”

“You’re not half bad though Mr. Larson.” She teased back. “You’re fun enough to hang out with.”

“I’m an exception to every rule I will assure you.”

“Don’t start quoting shit again. I will end you.”

“Only if you can reach that high.”  

“Oh you!”

“Hi Sadie! Oh, and Julian? I didn’t know you two knew each other.” Reed Van Kamp said from behind the table of the nearest booth. “You two enjoying the fair?”

The pair smiled; Reed was always a welcome sight, no matter who you were.

“Yeah, it’s been pretty fun. We’ve just been walking around. I thought you’d be out with Shane?” Sadie asked, coming under the tent top to talk more easily. “He mentioned something about Valentines plans.”

Reed looked down bashfully, “Well, last Windsor party got us all banned from Warbler activities; Blaine thought it’d be good if I was sitting down for all of the Fair. So, we’re doing our date on the weekend instead.”

“Aww, that’s cute. Then you won’t have to deal with Valentines Day crowding.” Sadie pointed out. “Really its working out in your favour.”

“I guess.” Reed said, then looked over at Julian. “I’m surprised to see you here. I thought I heard you were staying in all day.”

“What Murdoch wants; Murdoch gets.” Julian shrugged.

Reed smiled. “It’s good to see you anyways; at least someone gets to have a date today.”

“Oh we’re not-”

Reed flushed, “Oh heck, I’m sorry! I just assumed. That was bad of me. Here, have some cookies on me.”

“You don’t have to.” Sadie said even as Julian took what was offered.

He nudged her. “They’re good, take some. Wait, these are some of Kurt’s right?”

“Yeah, it took David and Wes all day to clean up the aftermath. He was a man on a mission!” Reed said, pushing a little ribbon-wrapped packet at each of them; then pushing them out as he cut himself on the edge of the plastic and had to call for a band-aid.

Julian and Sadie wandered off, happily snacking on their free cookies. They really were quite good, even if Sadie said there was nothing magical about them.

“You know, that’s the second person to assume we’re on a date.” Julian pointed out.

“And what of it?” Sadie asked.

“Well, what makes a date not a date?” Julian crunched down on another cookie. “You have two people sharing food and talking, and what makes it different between just hanging out and a date per say?”

“I think someone needs to ask and the other needs to accept. But yeah, its pretty arbitrary.” Sadie nodded. “Most people hold hands or some shit, or kiss. You saying you want this to be a date?”

“I’m just saying it could be an option.” Julian said, mulling the idea over in his mind. It would be nice to be on a normal date; not one where he had to sneak around with a guy and pretend they were just friends, or hide from paparazzi with a girl because his agent wanted maximum exposure for their upcoming film together. “It doesn’t need to be a thing. But I’ve liked talking to you. We should do this again, whatever you want it to be.”

She pursed her lips. “Hmm. I accept. You need to get me flowers though.”

“A date it is.” Julian confirmed, laughing at how easy that was. He offered his ungloved hand; hers slipping into it easily, with a crinkle at the corner of her eyes.

“So, flowers? What kind do you like?”

“Not lilies.” Sadie joked.  

“Belladonna maybe? What do witches like?”

“Well this witch likes roses.”

Julian froze, “Uh maybe something else?”

He face paled; she’d probably heard from Dwight and Laura. “Oh shit! I’m sorry! Look don’t worry about it.”

“No, no, it’s just, they’re not-”

“Marigolds then.” She said, hurried.

“I can work with that.” Julian recovered, the awkwardness still lingering. “You shall be showered in marigolds. You’ll be covered in pollen before the day is out.”

“Now that’s a picture.” Sadie said, letting him lead her towards the nearest flower booth and moving her head so he could tuck a marigold into her curls. “Aww, that’s so cute.” Julian agreed.

The rest of the day was much of the same. It was like they’d said; there wasn’t really much of a difference between hanging out and a date beyond the declaration of intent. It was fun though. He liked being able to wander around and feel like, yeah, this was a date. It was something he could say aloud. And she was nice. Maybe it wouldn’t go anywhere, but as far as dates went he’d had far worse ones. It was certainty better than dealing with all the romantic drama an all-boys school seemed to kick up.

By the time everyone started packing up, they were sitting on a bench near the entrance and exit gates, sharing a basket of chili fries. Sadie was telling him about her last boating adventure around the Florida Keys, and Julian’d been wistfully imagining a surf contest between the two of them if she ever ended up on the West Coast.

The Prima and Royal prefects were gathering their girls near the gate. Julian looked over, “Do you need to get going?”

“Probably. I wish I had been able to drive here on my own, but the roads are too icy for my bike.”

“Why the hell would you bike all the way here? The fairgrounds are like, ten miles from Dobry.”  

“No, motorbike. I ride sometimes with some other students, but I can’t do shit in the winters up here.”

“You have a motorbike?” Julian asked, “You realize that makes you like, ten points hotter.”

She blushed. “You’re an idiot. But yeah, I guess it does. Maybe I’ll take you out sometime when the weather gets warmer.”

“It’s another date I guess,” Julian said, crumpling up the paper from the finished fries. “Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around though? The girl clinging to the cool guy on the motorbike?”

“Well, it’s either you or Allison, and she’s still in her baby gay phase so I don’t want to mess with that.” Sadie stood, before bending down to kiss the corner of Julian’s mouth. She flushed. “I’ll see you around.”

Julian looked after her, a little shocked but in a good way. “Yeah, I’ll do that.”

---

The two kissed, fighting between them for who was going to be pressed up against the wall. A gasp. A pair of hands on a belt buckle, jangling in the quiet room away from the hustle and bustle of Windsor House.

Dwight broke away, worry mixed in with his usual hint of panic, “This isn’t right, Reed will kill me.”

“He broke up with me.”

“Yeah but-”

“I said, he broke up with me. We’re not together. He doesn’t get to be mad if I get with someone else.” Shane stressed, not letting it bother him. It did. Obviously. Otherwise he and Dwight would not even be having this conversation, let alone be holed up in Shane’s room like they’d be caught any second.

Shane leaned into kiss Dwight again, but he was pushed away.

“His mom is stressing him out and got to him. Give him a week.” Dwight argued. “Just because he’s graduated and he’s not here doesn’t mean we should… fuck, what are we doing?”

“Uh, having fun?” Shane said, grinning wildly.

Dwight bit his tongue, annoyed. He knew it was wrong, even as his stomach turned and he wanted to give into the manic energy Shane was giving off, he had to at least try- even if it was just to assuage his conscious.  

It’d been two weeks since Reed had broken up with Shane; and one week since Shane had relentlessly been pursuing anything that walked into Windsor House as a kind of mourning ritual since Reed was not returning his calls. Anyone with sense could guess Hilde Van Kamp had forced his hand, but Shane wasn’t sharing what was in those emails that had him throwing his phone against the wall. Whatever it was, Shane was broken up enough to be dragging their ignoble prefect into his quest for a rebound.

Shane shrugged. “I’m bored. You’re horny, it’s a perfect match.”

“I am not-”

“Oh fuck off.” Shane said, pressing Dwight back up against the door, hands in his pants. Dwight couldn’t hide the gasp he made. “You’re into this. What was it you said last time we all had a party- ‘oh Shane, if you were a girl’- that’s a lie. I’m fine just as a boy.”

“That was Todd’s scotch talking, not me.” Dwight’s face coloured. Shane took advantage, leaning in further.

“Sure it was. And you haven’t had a giant bon-”

“You’re stupid, that’s what.” Dwight interrupted.

“Then you’re just as dumb as I am.” Shane said, He didn’t have a leg to stand on about the whining given Shane’s hands were already in his pants, but he had to somehow pretend this might not become a thing.

He didn’t let Shane insult him again. He proved Shane’s point though when he flipped them, Shane’s back to the wall; pinning him with height and weight advantage, even if Shane’s wirey dance muscles could have easily sidestepped the move. They both could avoid this obvious dancing around it if they wanted to; token protests aside, it was a bad decision on both ends, one that could only end badly.

Maybe Shane could have called his ex; gone that way. Maybe Dwight could have not stepped in earlier when Shane was hitting on Baldwin excessively. It would have required a little less impulsivity. Neither were really good at decision making.

They didn’t get any comments about Dwight emerging from Shane’s room later; hair tied back and messy. Shane was sprawled across his bed, clothing rumpled; he was more content that he had been in ages. Thin walls didn’t really matter when both had practice getting off quietly, even if it was weird they really shouldn’t be doing that together.

Dwight snuck back to his and Todd’s room; though as prefect he had been entitled to a single, it felt weird with all that empty space. He cracked the door, slipping back inside and checking the padlocks as usual.

A cough sounded from behind him.

“Did I forget something?” Dwight asked, noticing his roommate’s chair turned around with a displeased look.

“Really Dwight?”

“What?” Dwight asked, trying and failing to play it cool.

Todd rolled his eyes, “Shane? Of all people? He has a boyfriend.”

Dwight felt a wave of shame. He’d been saying that himself, but now he found himself echoing Shane’s hurt words. “They broke up.”

“They’re on a break at most until Mrs. Van Kamp gets her head out of her ass.” Todd said. Oh no. Not the disappointed tone.  

Dwight wanted to escape the room; but he couldn’t considering he’d had all the same protests Todd was bringing up. Granted, he did it anyways… did that make him a bad person.

He asked Todd, shame tinging his voice.

Todd frowned. “No. It doesn’t make you a bad person. It’s a bad decision given I thought Reed was your friend, but-”

“Well it was me or Luke Baldwin.” Dwight protested. “You should have seen Shane in the common room, I thought he was about to do some kind of sex demon ritual right there on the carpet!”

“Sure you did.” Todd wasn’t convinced. “I bet you also had to sleep with him for the good of the school or something? That’s not what you’re supposed to do as prefect. Be his friend, don’t fuck him.”

Dwight coloured. “I… It’s not going to be a thing.”

“Dwight, you’re a rebound if anything. This isn’t going to end well.” Todd pointed out. “If it was Luke, I doubt Reed would feel as betrayed. You slept with his boyfriend.”

“Ex-boyfriend. It’s been 3 weeks.”

“So, you’ve been counting?”

“No!” Dwight said. Were his arms itchy? He felt itchy. Was this guilt? Fuck. He didn’t want to go to church; the priest at St. Anthony’s in Westerville was a total creep. He didn’t want that, so he admitted, “Maybe.”

Todd considered this. “I thought you were straight.”

“Kind of.”

“Kind of?”

“I don’t know!” Dwight said, throwing himself down on his side of the room. He’d finally gotten the elaborate four-poster he’d never been allowed in previous years at Dalton to be installed; and it was great for adding to the drama of these moments. He drew the curtains and tried to hide.

Todd pulled the curtains back anyways, crawling in. Buzzkill.

“You don’t know?” Todd ignored his personal space, pushing him to the side to sit cross-legged on the bed. “So you’re trying to figure it out with your friend’s ex who is also your friend, while you’re supposed to be keeping the peace as prefect?”

“I mean, I told him we shouldn’t!”

“But you did anyways.”

Dwight groaned, hiding his face in a pillow. “I get it! I’m a shit person! But like, he’s hot! Okay! Just, all…”

Todd interpreted the wavy-arm gestures Dwight gave him as best he could. “You know, even if you have a thing for him, this isn’t the way to go about it. Do you like him?”

“I! Don’t! Know!” Dwight said into the pillow, “Fricken heck.”

“I think you can use the stronger swears.” Todd said, finding the humour in the moment.

“I already suck… I don’t want to be an even worse person.”

“Well, you gotta deal with the consequences of your actions; I don’t really care if you say fuck, but someone is gonna care if you fucked Shane.” Todd pointed out.

“Is it bad that even though I knew it was bad, I still wanted to do it?”

“Do you really need to ask?”

Dwight rolled over and sighed. “This was so much easier when I thought sex was icky.”

“To be fair, you could have made an excellent travelling monk; if the vow of celibacy had just held.” Todd said, before flipping back to seriousness. “You got to tell Reed.”

“Ugh, I guess.” Dwight sighed, propping himself up on his elbows. “Confession is going to suck next time I’m home.”

“You could just convert; I have to say Wicca is a lot less stressful.” Todd suggested. “At least Trinity’s coven is anyways.”

“Yeah but then Reed, my mom, and God will all be mad at me. That’s not worth it.” Dwight said to the fabric hanging above him.

“You’re missing out.” Todd said, rolling off the bed. “Just don’t make me have to force you to own up to this. You won’t like me forcing your hand.”

“I know, I know. You’ll post it on the front page of the paper and make sure even Grandma Houston gets a copy emailed to her.” Dwight waved him off.

“That, and I’ll get quotes from Shane saying your dick is tiny.”

“I’m king of the world!”

“Get down from there you cunt!”

“Woah!” Clay nearly toppled off the edge of the roof where he was standing. “What the hell I do to deserve that?”

Kaelan shrugged, “That’s just Australian mate.”

“Now I’m sure you’re just fucking with me.”

“Nah, the Scots do it too. Going north in the summers with my family is always hilarious.” Laura said, squatting on the other end of the roof where they’d scared Austin back down the ladder. Apparently they’d all been too loud.

“You’re Scottish?” Kaelan asked. Evidently confused because he’d thought Laura’d mentioned being relatives with the Queen.

“Summer home. It gets too hot down in London. And with the tourists? Damn, no one wants to be in the city for that. They come out in droves, it’s a nightmare.” Laura complained, throwing a rock off the roof and into the fountain below.

None of them were technically supposed to be up there; but Clay’d been convincing all the other new kids to be his friend. Some took more easily to him than others. Even the Dobry girls, who were half amused and half bewildered by his endless energy. Laura got along with him fine; so between bothering Dwight, she’d gladly join Kaelan and Clay up on the roof to annoy the birds and survey the campus like the castles back home.

“I don’t know. We get plenty of tourists of all kind back in New York. Granted I guess I’m not in the fancy neighbourhoods you must have been in your highness-” Clay said with a grin, “but they’re mostly harmless. They don’t go to the fun parts of town anyways.”

“It’s Your Lady, thank you very much Clayton.” She said with a laugh. “And you’re a kid. What ‘fun’ parts of New York can you even find at your age?”

“There’s a park out back of my apartment building where you can feed the pigeons.”

“Isn’t that just a New York thing?” Kaelan asked. Most of what he knew about New York was from TV, but it seemed a ubiquitously New York Thing to have pigeons.

“No, you don’t feed them anywhere but this park. That way you don’t attract a flock. But these guys have been there since I was a kid! It’s so cool to see the babies hatch in spring; its like I’ve seen them all grow up!” Clay said, defending his backyard sky rats.

“Sound like ugly swans.” Laura quipped. “Just as annoying.”

“They have nothing on emus.” Kaelan countered. “Just as stupid, but you Brits lost a war to them.”

“Australia lost the Emu War.”

“Nah, nothing to do with us. That was you lot through and through.” Kaelan laughed. “Real Aussies don’t fuck with wildlife.”

“To be fair, you’re probably not related to any ‘true’ Aussies if you want to get down to it.” Clay pointed out. “What were your ancestors? British Horse Thief and British Cattle Thief?”

Kaelan blushed. “Shut up; least I’m not her ladyship over here with ties to the earl of so and so Diana murderers.”

“Clay, why’d you make this dark? I just wanted to sit on a roof, not throw a couple of colonials off it.” Laura said with a bold smile.

Clay snorted. “And you say we made it dark?”

“I am allowed to insult you.”

“And we can dish it right back.”

Austin’s voice carried up from the ground. “Murdoch’s coming, Laura you should really leave before you get reported being on school grounds without a permission slip.”

---

“28 girls?”

“Yeah, in one month.”

“Like one a night?”

“I heard he had a threeway with Cordelia and-”

“God! He did not!”

“Like Cordelia would ever share.”

“Like she would ever have fun!”

“Oh she has fun…”

“That’s ominous.”

“Yo, you don’t know anything about Cordelia. Like hell do any of us have enough game to break through her ice queen shit.”

“Maybe Troy though…”

“Maybe if she was girl one, but girl seventeen? I doubt it.”

“So how’d he even trick that many girls into sleeping with him?”

“God, what a legend.”

“I don’t know, if you listen to Windsor, good ol’King Ford’s made his way through half the school.”

“Wait, Dobry?”

“Dalton too, you sleeze.”

“Wait he’s gay?”

“We’re getting off topic. Ford’s a slut. We all know that. But Troy’d have to like, be lying to trick that many girls into sleeping with him.”

“Once again, you say ‘trick’- is this just because you don’t know how to talk to girls?”

“Yeah, I think he’s just jealous because he’s got no game.”

“Troy Mapleton could probably wink at a girl and she’d throw her panties at him.”

“…is that a thing?”

“Uh yeah, you ever seen anything on tv? Girls do that to guys they like.”

“Well fuck me then. I’m going to die alone.”

“That’s what I’m saying!”

“GUYS! Fuss budget Sullivan is coming!”

“Shit, hide the shit!”

“This is the last time I’m getting high with you guys. You all make me gossip like some kind of old lady.”

“Takes one to know one.”

---

“Agatha, are you sure about this?”

Ford’s voice sounded gentle. He was trying. But Agatha could tell her brother was fuming inside.

“Yes I am. I think Alan is a wonderful name for a boy.”

“It’s another name he picked.” Ford said, sitting across from her in the soon-to-be nursery. They’d moved into a bigger mansion in Serendipity Hills. They now backed onto the lake, and there was an extra wing for when Robert and her were entertaining.

“Ford, it’s been almost a decade now-”

“Eight years.” Ford said sharply. “And since the day you met him, I feel my sister slipping further and further into that man’s shadow. What happened to my wild little Aggie?”

“I was never the wild one Ford; that was you. That’s why father sent you to Ohio.”  She placed her hands on her swelling belly. It was still too early to feel Alan kicking, but they’d had the ultrasound last week. They hadn’t been able to tell, but she knew it’d be another little boy: a little brother for her Tommy.

“And it turned me into the man I am today; and any one of the little shits I looked after back at Dalton are worth ten of Robert fucking Perry.” Ford said, standing up and upsetting the paint chips on the arm of the chair.

On the surface, this had been a social call. He’d been bringing over a late Easter basket for Tommy; and was supposed to just have a quick chat with Agatha. But her husband was out so Ford felt compelled to tell her that that man had been given too much free reign over their family; let alone, poking his nose into the Houstons’ business while she was on maternity leave. It wasn’t his job to manage things for her; they had her assistants stepping up for a reason. It was not his business. If Ford tried to do the same thing with any number of his offshore affairs, it would have caused a situation from Miami to Austin.

Naturally, Agatha didn’t agree.  

“Ford, I told you if it turns out to be a girl we’d name the baby after mother-”

“You know as well as I do that he’d still have mom’s name as the middle name.”

“Is this because you got Tommy’s middle name?”

“No!” Ford made a frustrated noise. “Hell, Aggie you know I go by my middle name! That’s not the point! The point is Alan Bryce? His uncle and his father?”

“They’re nice names.” Agatha insisted; she didn’t see the problem. Their father was named Michael; if they used his name, he might get people mixing him up with that actor fellow when he got older.

“And you told me when you were pregnant with Thomas that you wanted to name your next son Richard.”

Agatha blushed, “You know that was just a passing thought.”

“You told me when you were kids that you had a huge crush on Dick Van Dyke and you thought Richard was a great name for a boy!” Ford countered; recalling their mother letting them watch Mary Poppins and Agatha’s eyes lighting up every moment he was on screen.

“He was charming!” She put her hands up. “And naming the baby after Robert’s uncle is much less, well… embarrassing, a story when we have to tell Alan for, oh I don’t know, a school project or something.”

“You can’t admit that putting your foot down about the plantation wedding was the only damn time you ever stood up to that man, and he’s been walking all over you ever since.” Ford said; no holds barred. He’d been holding this in since they’d gotten married; now with Perry showing up at the shareholders meeting, acting on his sister’s behalf when she’d already assigned her own assistants? Why couldn’t she see he was undermining her in the one thing that was wholly hers. “That man has always been planning to cut you out from your own life. He doesn’t want you Agatha, he wants a good loyal little Christian wife who will put up with anything for his fucking career. You know he plans to have half of congress in his pockets for that oil pipeline they’re trying to build across the west coast. You think he wants to show off his career forward wife to those stingy assholes? No! He’s just trying to see how much you’re willing to fucking put up with before he turns you into a pawn!”

Agatha’s eyes flashed cold. “Shut up Ford.”

“Agatha, you have to admit-”

“Dwight Harrisford Houston.” She said icily. “You have come into my home and insult my husband repeatedly after I have told you to stop. You refuse to. You will leave now.”

“Aggie, please-”

“No. Ford you will leave now. Before I have to ask Carter to escort you out.”

Ford opened his mouth to argue but just then, six-year-old Thomas ran in; a blur of dark hair, running up with a big book to crash into his mother’s leg.

“Mommy! Mommy! Daddy got me this book on Odie-sseus, and can you read it to me?” He asked looking up with a bright smile. He then noticed his Uncle. “Hi Uncle Ford! Thanks for the chocolate! Wait, do you want to read it with me and mommy?”

Agatha tried not to let it show in her voice. “No Thomas. Your uncle was just leaving. Say goodbye.”

“Bye Uncle Ford!” Thomas waved brightly.

Through sheer force of will and Elizabeth Hummel’s unending determination, Dalton had a cheer squad. It wasn’t exactly what most of the sports teams had been expecting; half the student body had thought it was sexist, and the other half thought it was weird considering they were an all-girls school; but Sue Sylvester was not allowed to own more than 49% of the rights to Dalton’s fields, so students from their own school would have to do.

Now filling the squad as its own can of worms, because most of the dancers or gymnastically inclined girls were already signed up to other extra-curriculars. Some Warblers didn’t have to be persuaded, like Janette, or Danielle. Joanna Logan Wright- as her father called her when she was in a particular amount of trouble- was roped in for her height before even Elizabeth’s calming precene wasn’t enough to make him stay at it. Blair and Olivia were recruited as flyers, and it’s the closest they got to a working squad.

“Hey, Dwyre, you are actually allowed to wash your uniform.” Elizabeth said, hands on her hips one afternoon at practice. “If you’re so messy when you brush your teeth that you get toothpaste all over it-”

Dwyre’s eye twitched. She was only here because Elizabeth was her friend; no other reason. She didn’t correct Elizabeth on her assumptions and just threw down her bag. “Just, let’s get this over with.”

Reed was watching Dwyre; with the subtle white smears and tangled, tied-back hair. She kept his mouth closed until she could get more information. This was going to be good once she got the whole story. She could tell.

---

“You like that don’t you, you little bitch?” Erica’s voice echoed in the least used locker room, biting Dwyre’s neck before shoving her back down against the bench.

Wendy sat in front of them, her underwear shoved to the side. Her pants were thrown to the ground, impatient as she’d grabbed Dwyre earlier that hour. “Hey, not cool Erica. What if she’s not into that?”

Dwyre rolled her eyes, pulling Wendy forwards anyways like ‘this might as well happen’. Dark eyes met dark eyes before Dwyre ducked down, lips set in a different kind of kiss. Wendy squeaked; her back hitting the bench in the locker room with a thud. Her hand twisted in Dwyre’s hair, bucking up into the younger girl’s mouth.

She’d already had fingers in herself, wet and wanting as she’d gotten Dwyre to press her up against the lockers. That had been when Erica had come looking for Dwyre too; supposedly an easy conquest out of all the Dalton cheerleaders, but how easy was underestimated by both of them.

“Fuck, that’s- shit!” Wendy gasped, Dwyre’s mouth coaxing noises out of her, buried between her thighs, arms wrapped around her legs and pulling her closer. It was eager, the way Dwyre went down on her, eating her out with a keen tongue; as if she could drink in the taste and wanted to drown in how thick the small was.

“Shit, stop moving.” Erica scolded, the smack on Dwyre’s ass causing the other two to jump. “Fucking bitch.”

Dwyre sighed, nipping at Wendy’s thigh before snarking. “You could maybe do a better job at fingering me. You’re acting like some pump and dump guy; like, does your hand cramp when you try to get my clit and my-“

“Brat.” Erica said again, tweaking Dwyre’s clit under the short cheerleading skirt. “I could have you screaming before Wendy even dreams of getting off.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that.” Wendy said, coaxing Dwyre back to lapping at her clit. An absent-minded ‘good girl’ on her lips. She met Erica’s eyes with a competitive grin. “You seem to be panting right along after me as much as you are with Dwyre.”

“I- fuck you, I am not.” Erica said, driving her fingers deeper into Dwyre as if it proved some kind of point. Her other hand braced against the girl kneeling between them, grabbing the small handful of her ass that she could. “I just haven’t had a dick in a while, that’s all.”

“That’s why you’re topping her, rather than have her fuck you.” Wendy said, petting Dwyre’s hair as she twisted her hips up, a long groan curling from her throat. “Oh fuck, Dwyre that’s good.”

“I’m not gay Hughes. You though? You’re as straight as a fucking rubber band.” Erica shot over, feeling her own wet drip down her leg. Fuck. She didn’t have to be bi to think this was hot; it was sex. Sex was sex. Sex with the prudish goth cheerleader, and that loud mouther warbler bitch was even better; because then she didn’t have to pretend to like them.

Wendy ignored her, grasping her own nipple under her bra, the other hand scratching up her side. Fuck she didn’t think she’d be getting off in the locker room today; but she’d seen Dwyre’s ass in that skirt again; fuck, she had to at least ask!

It wasn’t a kink she told herself; dark navy fabric rucked up around Dwyre’s waist, seeing Erica there with wide blown eyes and knuckles pulling choked gasps out of Dwyre between them.

“You’re doing- fuck- so good. You’re fucking so good.” Wendy murmured, clenching her fingers with a gasp, the tongue between her legs swirling and sucking in one firm swipe.

“Wen-” Dwyre’s words were cut off; Erica pressing her tongue to Dwyre’s ass, another finger slipping in with a tight, wet noise, shoving in and out quickly, twisting in her loudly. It was fast, and rough; not at all tender. She moaned, dark and low against Wendy’s thigh, rolling her hips back. “Fuck, Erica, Eri-AH!”

Wendy sat up, breathing hard. She caught Dwyre before she fell off the bench shaking, hand covering the dark henna tattoo and pulled her up. She claimed her mouth with the kind of biting kiss she’d picked up from too many nights fighting with her ex and making up just as quickly. She could only hear whimpers, panting, and a determined slick push of Erica demanding Dwyre to moan her name and her name alone.

“You’re going to come on my hand, aren’t you bitch?” Erica challenged to Dwyre’s choked cry.

“I- fuck!” Dwyre called, her legs unsteady as she gulped back a comment that would have only caused Erica to go even rougher. She didn’t thinks she could take that. She tried to hide her face in Wendy’s hot neck, smelling of sweat, salt, and sex. She fell forward, skin to Wendy’s white, pressed shirt as she came; gasping Erica’s name.

Erica grinned, triumphant over the curve of Dwyre’s hip; smirking, satisfied at the wet hem of Dwyre’s skirt. “You squirted like a little slut, didn’t you?”

Dwyre whimpered, clutching at Wendy’s neck and desperately trying to quell the ache she still felt.

Wendy, who’d gone more than just one round with Dwyre before, raised an eyebrow up at Erica. “She’s not like a guy. She’s not done you stupid bitch.”

“Stupi-” Erica almost shouted before she was pushed back, Wendy laying Dwyre out on her back; straddling Dwyre and the bench, hands on her waist with a smug look. “Do I have to teach you how to do everything Seigerson?”

“You’re not god’s gift to lesbians Wendy. I’d know.” Dwyre said, shuddering anyways when Wendy ground down against her. It was slick; the slid between them with just enough friction to keep that sweet build she had going. “Just, shut up and stop antagonising her.”

“I’ll antagonise her all I want.” Wendy looked down, licking her lips. “She should sit on your face though, it’d be hot.”

“Fuck, I’m down.” Erica said, bracing against the bench and letting Dwyre take over without being told to again.

“Pretty eager for a straight girl.” Wendy shot over, her breath stuttering out; seeing Erica’s clit disappear under Dwyre’s tongue; her eyes trailed up to Erica’s bra, hanging on by one strap. “Fuck you have nice tits.”

“I’ll let you at them if you want,” Erica said, another insult on her tongue before Wendy swallowed her words, surging forward to bite at her lower lip. They groaned, grinding down on the same girl, but pulling groans out of the other all the same.

Erica came first, shouting against Wendy’s mouth on her nipple and Dwyre’s tongue flicking up into her. It was only a second or two before Wendy was swearing, wet and sore against Dwyre; who shoved Erica off her and pulled Wendy against her, fingers tucked up into the two of them; hot, quick, and gasping.

“No protests of ‘but I’m a cheerleader’ from you?” Wendy grinned, one last nibble to Dwyre’s ear.

“Fuck you.” Dwyre muttered, brushing off her skirt and getting white streaks along the pleats.

“You going to clean that?” Erica asked, sitting with bright red lips and flushed dkin against the locker room floot.

Dwyre shrugged. “I have practice in like, an hour. I don’t give a shit. Not like Elizabeth even knows what cum looks like.”

Erica barked out a laugh; Wendy only felt like she could go another three rounds at the thought of Dwyre wearing smears of her out onto the field. Even now, Dwyre just pulled back her hair, wrinkling her nose. “See you idiots later; I’d say let’s do this again, but like? It’s been a weird day so maybe not?”

Wendy and Erica didn’t speak to each other; so used to competing for the same guy it was weird to have almost a truce over the same girl. If they ended up fucking the shower later, it was neither here nor there.

One.

“That is my wife!” David yelled, grinning from ear to ear as the Terpsichores went up on stage.

“We know. Calm down.” Wes said, yanking David back to his seat. “You don’t have to say it every single time.”

“Yes I do.” David said, his smile not faltering as Katherine gave him a wave from the stage. It wasn’t a dance heavy number they had for Sectionals, but she would be doing most of the more impressive moves while Lucy took the solo.

Some people around them gave David a strange look; which was something he’d prepared himself to get used to. They’d been together since 13, but it was still unusual to hear of a couple getting married so young (at least, without a shotgun wedding involved). He didn’t mind. He’d shout it from the rooftops.

Two.

“Wes, you really should just break up with her once and for all.” Katherine told him, David passed her the phone about a minute back. “I know, I know. You love her. But this is simply getting unhealthy for the two of you.”

David had one hand tucked in Katherine’s, the other pushing the small shopping cart around the local Ohio Kroger. They’d wanted to just pick up something for the party in Windsor later, but now they were sidetracked. Katherine said she’d teach him how to make pancakes so he wouldn’t poison them when they went to college.

“How much flour will we need?” David asked, ducking down to the bottom shelf. “20 pounds?”

Katherine frowned, putting the phone to her shoulder. “I’d say only 5.”

“You know I’m useless with this stuff Kat.” David sighed, compromising with a 10 pound bag. “Kurt can use the excess.”

“That is if you don’t finally get the hang of it. You’ll be in charge of breakfasts in Windsor now.” Katherine said smiling, pecking him on the cheek. “You sell yourself too short Mr. Sullivan.”

“And you’re too kind to me Mrs. Sullivan.” David said, unable to hide his smile.

Katherine started, sighed and putting the phone back to her ear. “Yes, yes, you’re good too Wes. Now, seriously, break up with her for good.”

The cashier they pulled up to gave them an odd look as David packed the items onto the belt. Katherine tapped the belt annoyed with what could only be Wes rambling about Tabitha’s redeeming qualities.

“You need to move on sweetheart.” Katherine said, looking to David. “I can’t. Talk to your boyfriend. He’s not listening to me.”

“I got it.” David said, retaking his role in the conversation which just resulted in him telling Wes he’d handle it when they got back.

The cashier looked like they had whiplash from the one-sided conversation. “Uh, your… she didn’t say if you had a Kroger card.”

David looked over to Katherine who was putting the eggs back into their cart. He’d have to intercept her before she tried to life the flour.

“That’s my wife actually.” He couldn’t say it enough.

The cashier just stared. “Uh, but do you have a Kroger card?”

“Oh, yeah no.”  

Three. “And that’s when I said, dude, that’s the left ventricle!” The upper year college student yelled over the roar of the party. The circle laughed. It wasn’t even that funny.

David had no difficulty hearing him though. You learned to phase through background noise after years in Windsor House. The people around them were hardly anywhere near as wild as Windsor had been after Charlie left and the twins decided every Friday was time for the harder stuff. (David thankfully, had a soccer scholarship to keep him from partaking).

Katherine leant into his side, her cup half full of the punch they’d been using as mixer. She was on a new medication so David’d intercepted the fresh jug before anyone opened it. She was grateful, rewarding him with a quick moment in the bathroom before someone pounded on the door.

“So what’s your story Dave?” The guy asked, downing another cup of cheap beer. “You and Kat meet here or what?”

“Oh no, we met? Oh we were kids.” Katherine said, holding David tighter.

“She’s my wife!” David said, tipsy at most but still excitedly saying it.

“No shit? Hard to do when you’re in college, let alone med school.”

Katherine snorted. “Harder in high school.”

“Huh?”

“God, we got married Junior Year of High School.” David said, Katherine subtly flashing her diamond engagement ring and the woven gold band he’d gotten her as her wedding ring.

“No shit man!” Half the circle seemed shocked, the other looked plain confused.

“So there’s no chance of a threeway then?” Their main conversation partner asked.

Katherine laughed. “Oh honey, you missed that train. Go chase Jocelyn. She’s been eyeing you all night.”

“…you’re a cool gal Katherine.”

Another member of the circle said louder than they might have thought, “Oh so that’s why they have the same last name.”

Four.

Not every elementary school had reunions; but if your parents paid a couple grand in tuition, yeah you had a reunion. It was a couple years into college but here they were. Already doing reunions and nostalgia circuits.

Katherine waved to a few of their friends; Yolanda looked almost the exact same. They teased her that she’d stopped growing in second grade. Between her, Martin, and Carlos, they’d almost all made it to their grade school dream schools.

“I didn’t think you two would still be together.” Martin said. “But like, it’s kind of cool you did.”

“We’d have invited you to the wedding, but it was kind of spur of the moment.” Katherine said, apologetically. “Things got hectic back then.”

“No shit, I saw the news. I’m glad you’re okay man.” Carlos said. “So, wait, you two really got married? I’ve heard of high school sweethearts but you two started dating back when we were in middle school.”

David lifted Katherine’s hand to his lips. “Yeah, I saw her and immediately knew she’d be my wife.”

“David! You’re being impossible.” Katherine said without venom, nudging him with a smile.

“Yes ma’am.” He shrugged at the rest of them. “Missus says I have to behave.”

“Fuck, my expectations of a perfect relationship just went up.” Yolanda groaned, waving a waiter over to grab anther glass of champagne. “I hate you both.”

“It’ll happen ‘Landa. We were just lucky.” Katherine smiled up at her husband. The rest groaned.

Five.

“So if you and your girlfriend break up, you still have to pay the rent for the-”

“My wife.”

“What?”

“She’s my wife.”

“Oh, well whatever you’re still both responsible for the rent.”

One.

The call came in the middle of class. He’d peeked and paled. Ignoring Murdoch’s anger, David ran out of the room to a wake of confusion, shouts, and panic.

By the time he made it to the hospital she was already in surgery. He had to yell just to be allowed in. The nurses barred the way, telling him it was family only. No friends, no boyfriends. They hadn’t processed the paperwork yet; so Katherine’s name was still the stuff they’d had on file for years at The Columbus Children’s Hospital. Just one more week and he wouldn’t have been sitting in the waiting room, sick with worry and seething with how unfair it was.

It felt like weeks. It had really been hours. Wes had dropped by to bring him a warmer coat in the air-conditioned hospital, and dinner, because he’d skipped lunch to get to the hospital before they rolled her in.

Katherine’s mother came in the waiting room; relieved to see him there.

“Sweetie, oh how long have you been waiting there?” Mrs. Rivers asked, her face falling.

“Since noon?”

It was nearly midnight now. The nurses had been trying to shoo him away.

“Oh David.” She scooped him into a hug. “Come on through, you’ll want to see her. She looked scary but they said when she wakes up it will be worlds better than before.”

The nurse guarding the door stood up, irate. She’d been the one who got told at the changing of the guards not to let him by.

“Excuse me, its family only. Not boyfriends, or whatever this is-”

Mrs. Rivers turned her eyes on the nurse. The woman, paled, if it was possible for her to get paler. She seemed to realize she’d crossed a line when Mrs. Rivers pushed David closer to the door, and put her hands on her hips. “Supervisor, now!”

“But I’m just doing my job-”

“This young man is my son in law! He is Katherine’s husband! And you have been keeping him from his wife since noon!” Mrs. Rivers said, stepping forward. “I want your supervisor here now. Or I’m going to call the Chairman of the Board right now and get you fired for this blatant disregard of compassionate care.”

“How can they be married?” The nurse protested, “He’s-”

“You do not want to finish that sentence.” Mrs. Rivers warned. “Even if it was to say they’re too young, you do not want that on the record.”

David paused, his hand on the door to the recovery wing. Mrs. Rivers turned from her stammering target. “David dear, she’s in 223- round the corner to the left. Nadine’s the attending nurse; she remembers you, she’ll let you in.”

David nodded leaving Mrs. Rivers to it. He wanted to feel grateful, but all he could think was he had to get to Katherine.

When he got to 223; seeing her all hooked up to the machines was scary. But he was ehre now. She’d been so brave and now it was his turn.

“I was wondering when her boyfriend- oh it’s husband now isn’t it?” Nurse Nadine said kindly, looking up from where she was writing on Katherine’s chart. “Oh her mother just went out to call you.”

“Yeah. I’m the husband.” David said weakly, looking down at Katherine. The tubes in her arm, down her throat… he knew it was all to help her. He just wished she didn’t need the help.

Nurse Nadine patted his arm, getting a cup of water for him. “It’ll be a while yet, but she’ll be glad to see you. The call button is right here on her bed. Let me know if you two need anything.”

“I will.” David said, putting the water beside him.

Katherine’s breathing was shallow, but it was there. She was there. And he was there for her.

---

“Stop pretending you care!”

Logan reeled back, as if slapped. Maybe it would have made more sense if he had been.

“How can you say that?” Logan stepped forward, “Jules of course I fucking care!”

“No you don’t. You didn’t give a shit about me then, you don’t now.” Julian threw his clothes back into the suitcase. Logan stuck his hand in-between, closing the case and pushing Julian back.

“What the fuck Logan?” Julian pulled away, “Stop it!”

“I will not let you run away again. We have to talk about this, or else it’s never going-”

“Get away from me!” Julian snapped, stepping back with his arm up.

Logan stiffened. Yeah. Oh yeah.

He’d only come in because they’d fought, again. The breeze in LA was good that time of year, or whatever excuse Julian was making to run off and refuse to face him. Logan thought he had finally been making headway; trying to sort out the mess of feelings he’d not been able to figure out since he saw Julian in that hospital bed, echoes of a forced confession in his mind, and his chest hurting at the idea of never speaking to Julian again.

And now here he was, fucking it up. Why could they never speak these days without it escalating? What was missing?

“I’m-” Logan stopped and restarted, “I’m sorry.”

He tried to calm down. He clenched his fists open and closed, counting down in his head. His therapist had been teaching him some exercises for when he felt overwhelmed. They worked better than any crap he’d been pitched before.  

Julian looked at him, guard raised like Logan would lash out with more than accusations.

“No you’re not.” Julian said, “you’re just hoping I’ll forget you insulting my friends back in LA; like only you have some kind of claim on me.”

“I don’t. Even if you feel-”

“It doesn’t matter what I feel. You should never have found out about that.”

“So you don’t lov-”

“It doesn’t matter.” Julian snapped. He crossed the room, trying to continue to pack. “It doesn’t even fucking matter; its not like you could ever think of me that way.”

“What if-”

Julian whirled on him, “Don’t you fucking dare even suggest that.”

“But I didn’t know! It wasn’t my fault! What did you want me to do, hit on my supposedly straight-friend? You weren’t ever an option Julian.” Logan forced himself to not move from his spot, even if he wanted to cross the room and touch Julian- just to ground himself.

“Boo hoo, go and cry about it to Joshua, or Blaine, or Hummel, or who else is on your roster this year? Which transfer kid are you going to fuck up now?” he laughed bitterly, “we never even dated and you still fucked me up.”

“And you don’t think I wasn’t fucked up?” Logan shot back; his voice cracking. Julian blinked.

Julian was caught off guard, the surge of emotions new even by Logan’s standards of outbursts. It wasn’t anger; it was desperate, bitter.

“I saw you in a coma Jules. When you fell… fuck. I have nightmares about it. Imagining you never waking up? Or not landing on the pad? Or right after you were forced to tell me, that Adam would-” He swallowed, choking. “Don’t leave me. I don’t want you out of my life.”

“You felt that way because I’m your friend, not because you feel some way about me.” Julian responded, gripping the bag in his hand.

“How do you know what I feel?”

“Because I know you Lo’.”

“And apparently I didn’t know you, not until after all that.” Logan said, a twinge in his leg; he shifted from foot to foot. “You weren’t an option.”

“Neither were you but I still-”

“Not like that Jules! I wouldn’t even allow myself to ever think of someone who could never love me back. If you’d said something, anything-”

“And have you discard me for the next pretty thing?” Julian scoffed. “As if.”

“Haven’t you ever thought that’s why they never lasted?” Logan said, voice finding its strength. “Because they were placeholders? Because the person I’m meant to be with was so close, but so far away?”

Julian shook his head. “You’re over thinking this.”

“I wasn’t allowed to feel things for you.” Logan said cautiously, stepping forward. Julian didn’t flinch, but he did start to curl into himself. “Jules, I didn’t have permission.”

“That’s not an excuse.”

“It’s not an excuse- it’s a reason. That’s something different.”

The two of them stared at one another; Logan closed the gap between them, hand touching Julian’s chin as if it would break if he moved too quickly. Julian’s breath caught.

“Do I have permission now?”

“No.”

Logan jerked his hand back as if burnt. Julian caught it and raised it to his lips. He kissed them before pulling them behind him, guiding Logan to hold him. He looked up; mouth parted.

“You always had permission; you just never knew it.”