lost boy

Species: Human Sexuality: Pansexual Pronouns: He/Him Favorite song: Blood Like Wine — Monster Mansion Big three: Libra sun, Taurus moon, Cancer rising

Cubby didn’t want Wendy to feel strange about coming over. He knew it was still going to take some adjusting to, but with Valentine’s Day around the corner, he didn’t want anything to feel weird or strange with them. Still, he didn’t want to make Wendy uncomfortable, either. If she didn’t want to stay, she didn’t have to. He gave her a small smile. “Yeah, I can do that.” He turned so they could begin walking in the opposite direction toward her place, taking her hand in his. “That’s okay, I see them all the time,” he chuckled, “they can wait.” @wendymadarlings​

Tapping her fingers against her glass she shrugged her shoulders softly. Though the blush was quick to rush to her cheeks. Of course she knew not to get her hopes too high up. It was a moment a lot of people seemed to get rather caught up in. “Uh… probably the best way to start a new year, that will come around soon and just break my heart again.” She stated with a scrunch of her nose. Michelle was getting better at not feeling so hurt by everything, and just accepting what it was. “we might have kissed at midnight, and I have no idea what any of that even means.” When the topic switched and he was talking about Wendy she felt her smile grow on her face. “Really? Amazing huh? You know I need more details then that, Cubs.” Michelle playfully kicked at his foot under the table as she gave a knowing smile. 

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Cubby raised an eyebrow curiously, only assuming what that could possibly mean. He knew the feeling though. Even with things going well between him and Wendy, there was still a small amount of worry deep within him, that maybe things may not work out in the long run or that maybe Peter or Wendy will somehow end up hurt. Or himself. But Michelle continued to explain, and it was actually nice to hear he wasn’t the only one who got the kiss he’d been waiting for that midnight on new years. “I know what you mean ... I kissed Wendy too, at midnight, and ... I think it’s a good sign for us, but nothing’s official, y’know? I don’t wanna rush her or anything..” He smiled as she playfully kicked his foot, giving her a playful, stern look. “Hey, not very nice to do to the person who just bought you a shake.”

Shaggy was someone that was guilty of sticking with what made him comfortable. He loved being adventurous with food, but he didn’t love being disappointed when he knew his usual was right there on the menu. Today he’d decided to push himself out of his shell, figuring if he was disappointed, he’d just make a second order. “It’s a new year, gotta try new things,” he grinned. “Like, I think I’m a little sad I’ve waited so long to try it, actually, it’s great.”

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Cubby smiled at the mention of the new year. “That’s true, that’s true. I’m glad you’re liking it!” He’d been thinking a lot about the new year and how a lot of changes usually come along with it, including with his job. He didn’t have anything against The Candy Bar, but he couldn’t help but feel like there was more for him out there somewhere. He didn’t want to just be a server forever. “I’ve been wanting to try new things, too, but not just with food .. Like with life, you know?”

Colin knew she already mentioned their trip being a surprise, but he couldn’t help but try to ask again, in hopes that maybe Isabella would slip up on the secret. After a moment, she revealed where they were headed, and a smile formed. “Oh, nice! Do you know which one?” He asked excitedly. Anything about food typically brought up his spirits, it was the inner chef in him. “Deal, I’m already excited. I’ve been needing to try something new lately.” @iridescentbella​

It was safe to say that Cubby was trying really hard to keep Peter in good spirits lately. Between the Wendy and Tiara situation, he knew his best friend was really going through it. He hadn’t bothered to bring up either of the girls, worried about bringing on more heartache than was necessary. So, he focused on their friendship instead. They were best friends first, and that was all that mattered right now. He watched Peter stand up, holding himself tall like the true leader he was, and Cubby couldn’t help but laugh. The guys acted as if the dishes were the worst things on the planet — maybe he was just so used to doing them since he did most of the cooking, too. Just another example of Colin taking on the dad role for the guys. The second rule didn’t come as a surprise, and Cubby didn’t really have any complaints about that. They really did need something that was all just for them, no girls to get in the way. “Understood,” Cubby repeated, doing a salute with his hand to show Peter he was serious. “But .. If someone ends up choking on their food because they’re eating too fast .. That might not end so well.” @captainpeter​

It was the longest breath of relief that left her when Cubby reached out. Michelle had truly been in her head since New Years.. the kiss. It was like kissing everything she’d ever wanted good bye, but also setting a small fire within her to just know what Nolan’s lips felt like against hers. While it felt like a movie, it also felt like the most confusing heartache she’d felt. Why would he kiss her if .. he knew her feelings. Thankfully, Cubby knew her little crush, and also was close to Nolan. Perhaps he had a better insight. Walking in she smiled once she caught sight of him. “Ooo, and you got my favorite. Thank you.” Quickly taking a sip she let out a small sigh. “I.. found myself with Nolan. How was your New Years?” 

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Cubby smiled, knowing he had made sure to order her favorite. What kind of friend would he be otherwise? He took a sip of his own oreo milkshake, surprised to hear that Michelle had spent the evening with Nolan. “Yeah? How did that go?” He asked, another smile forming as she asked about how his holiday went. His mind immediately went to his kiss with Wendy, something that hadn’t left his mind since it happened. He hadn’t talked about it really since, eager to tell someone but worried about jinxing his luck. “It was .. Amazing, actually. Me and Wendy hung out almost the entire night.”

She hated that look in his eyes. Like he knew she was running away and he wanted to stop her. She wished he could stop her. Tiara knew better than that though. No one could really stop her when things got like this. When she needed to find herself again and try to let go a lot of her past so she could move forward. It wasn’t a forever goodbye. It was just a temporary one. And as much as she wished things couldn’t be this way, she knew that it had to be. Colin would understand. He had to.

“No, there wasn’t another post. Yet. I don’t know it could be any minute.” Tiara ran a hand through her hair. She wanted to shrug off his grip on her but if she did she knew she wouldn’t say what she needed to say and would just run away now. She could feel herself getting restless and anxious about it already. “I just…I need to go away for a little while. I umm…things are really messed up right now and I need time to process it and find myself again. I have to…I have to do this. I know it isn’t what you want to hear, but it’s the right thing to do. I…I can’t keep feeling like this, Col. This can’t be all that I am….It just can’t be.”

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Colin made sure to listen to her words carefully, scared of missing an important detail. His mind was trying to think of things that could possibly be wrong — he knew he and Wendy were doing okay, he knew Peter had said he planned to sit down with Wendy and Tiara at some point ... Perhaps it had something to do with that, but he wasn’t sure. Things had been pretty unpredictable lately, he knew that much.

He could practically feel how tense Tiara was as he had his hand on her, scared to bring it back down to his side. “Go away? Where?” He asked, concern obvious in his tone. He didn’t want her to go anywhere, and he was sure the rest of their friends would feel the same. “Can you at least tell me what happened? Is it Peter? Nolan? If you need me to talk to them, I will.” Hell, he’d find whoever the hell was messing with their friend group through the gossip blog if it meant that she would stay. “I don’t know if leaving is the right answer, I mean ... You know I always support you, but this doesn’t feel right...”

Any thoughts of Peter were wiped from her mind with his lips on hers: all she could think about was Colin, the boy who had written her poems, brought her flowers, kissed her at midnight. It was all she’d ever wanted from anyone, and she was glad that it was with him. Though she’d teased him about making a move sooner, his timing had been nothing short of perfect, made better with the promise of a new beginning beyond just a kiss.

“Happy New Year to you, too,” she repeated with a grin, only letting go of his hand to wrap a tight hug around his back. Though she had no idea where this was going or where the year would take her, Wendy could only hope that they would at least still be friends at this very time next year. “Me, too,” Wendy agreed, sliding her hand back into his as she pulled away. “Thank you, um, for tonight, and … I sound so silly for thanking you for kissing me, but I–I like you, too. I’m sorry it just took me a long time to see it.”

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The hug was even more reassurance for Colin, a small gesture that let him know he wasn’t overstepping or making things weird with Wendy. She’d wanted him to kiss her — he was still getting used to that thought. As he held onto her for a moment, arms wrapped around her, he noticed that everyone around them seemed to go back to dancing and talking, the music returning. Midnight had now passed, and a few people were already beginning to leave the event. He wondered what Wendy wanted to do next, tonight and moving forward. Once again, he wasn’t in any rush.

Her soft hand was in his again, a feeling he could get used to, and he smiled as she thanked him. The butterflies in his stomach quickly returned. She likes him. His lip caught between his teeth, nervously biting down. “That’s okay, I .. I took a long time to tell you how I felt, too,” he admitted with a chuckle. Even if his feeling weren’t revealed on his own accord, things still have worked out despite that bump in the road. “Is there anything else you wanna do tonight?” He asked, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. “You know, if you start getting tired or you’re just ready to go, I could give you a ride home?”

Wendy noticed Cubby’s attention turned toward something else, much like she had drifted into her own thoughts just moments before. It wasn’t until an announcement came over the speaker that she realized what all the stir could be about: midnight. They hadn’t even gone back to their friends yet, but to Wendy, it didn’t really matter. For the last minute of the year, she was perfectly content spending it with Colin beside her. Maybe it was some sort of sign for what was coming, that what had happened between them last year was an indicator of what was going to happen in the next.

With a nod of her head, Wendy gave him a smile as she finished the last bit of her champagne, unhooking her arm from his. Instinctively, her hand found his, like she needed someone to hold on to as the clock struck. A pit grew in her stomach as she realized what approaching midnight meant, seeing people in pairs on the dance floor. Wendy’s grip tightened on his hand until it was him giving her a tug to pull her closer, and before she could so much as mutter the celebratory phrase, he was kissing her. She couldn’t help but widen her grin, pulling away only to mumble, “Took you long enough,” before kissing him again.

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Colin’s hand let go of Wendy’s so he could cup her cheek, feeling her grin against his lips. For a split second he felt her pull away, wondering why that was until he heard her soft words. That was all the confirmation he needed, smiling as they kissed again. Her lips were soft and sweet, the taste of champagne lingering. Nothing else going on around them mattered anymore — it was the happiest he’d ever felt.

Even if he didn’t want this moment to end, he did pull away eventually, his hand still gently pressed against her cheek. His own cheeks were warm, unable to hide that he was blushing. His gaze flickered from her lips to her bright blue eyes. “I guess I should’ve done that sooner, huh?” He admitted, smile growing. “Happy New Year, Wendy.” His hand dropped down to grab hers again. “Whatever happens this year, I just hope I have you by my side.”

“I know. I eventually need to talk to him. Someone’s got to, and I know that’s me.” Peter nodded, confirming to Colin the plans he already had in his head. Peter adjusted the sleeves of his hoodie. His eyes fixed on the object in front of him while his head ran through an imaginary jungle. It was time for him to finally put his hand on things. Enough were the times of deceit and confusion; he needed to finally get things done. “You’re right. This is the only family we’ve got. I cannot let a silly gossip blog ruin us.” He shook his head, his furrowed brows lost in contemplation. “Alright, it’s settled.” Peter immediately stood up, clapping his hands together as if to clear his hands of the dust of a hard day’s work. “I’ll go talk to Tiara, then Nolan, and then it’s time to finally sit Tiara and Wendy together, like I should have done the first time around.” He knew well enough it was going to be painfully tedious, and yet Peter finally thought that since both women have the eyes of someone else, at least a bit of sense would finally get to everyone.

“As the leader of the Lost Boys, and with my dear friends Tiara and Wendy. It’s time for me to take a step back and fix this.” He placed a hand on Cubby’s shoulder, looking the other boy straight in the eyes. “I hope Wendy chooses you.” He squeezed his shoulder, flicking Cubby’s head ever so slightly. “And I hope Tiara chooses Nolan. In that way, I will never lose any of you. Do not screw this up.” Peter smiled warmly, though he knew deep down that there was a sting in his heart. Still, he’d choose his family more than anything else. Both women, dear to his heart, were in good hands with his friends. Peter, on the other hand, chose to be the man for the collective. “I’ll be here with you all, you have my full support.”

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Cubby nodded in agreement. There was a reason that Peter was considered their leader, taking charge whenever things started to fall astray. Lately, their group of friends seemed more astray than ever before. He watched as Peter stood up, wondering what his best friend’s next plan was. His eyebrows raised curiously as Peter expressed what his plan was. “Just like that? D’you know what you’re gonna say?” If he were Peter, he surely wouldn’t have a clue what to say, but Peter somehow always figured it out.

Colin couldn’t help but smile, Peter’s words only boosting his confidence. He’d been so anxious to make a move on Wendy before, to step on Peter’s toes, but his friend confirmed that he was happy for him and Wendy. There wasn’t any reason to worry anymore, at least that’s what it seemed like. “Thanks, Peter,” he replied, tone genuine. He felt bad for his friend, of course. It wasn’t fair that Peter had the two girls so close to him, and suddenly they’d been pulled away from him. Maybe it was a lesson he needed to learn though, Cubby realized. Maybe all of this would really help Peter grow up and appreciate what he has while he can. He made a mental note to stay on Peter’s good side now, for his friend just made a huge sacrifice for his feelings for Wendy. “We’re here for you too, you know. We’re not going anywhere.”

closed starter @colincubby​ location: outside the lost boy’s apartment

She had waited for Colin to come home, sitting outside the apartment complex the lost boys all lived at with a gift in her hands. She knew this was going to be one of the hardest things she ever did and she wanted to make sure she did it quickly and gently. None of this has been easy and Tiara knew there wasn’t enough alcohol in the world to numb her enough to do it. She has been talked to like there was another solution but the thing with Tiara was that when she got an idea in her head, there was no going back. She needed to separate herself from Peter and sadly that meant the boys as well. She was never going to be able to find herself in this labyrinth of hurt and jealousy and bitterness until she did it and she was convinced that was that. 

When she spotted Colin and his good natured grin, she felt her chest tighten. She had to do this. She stood up and went over to him, pulling him into a tight hug before quickly pulling away. “Hey, um, Colin, I got you this…” She held out the gift bag she had been carrying with her since this afternoon. “It’s umm…It’s a new notebook for the…the poetry. And some pens..real fancy ones…I just…I couldn’t bear not doing something nice before I do something awful…but I have to do it so….before gg tries to twist everything around I wanted to…I wanted to take control of my narrative.”

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Colin had been on a high he’d never felt before since New Years. He’d finally shared a kiss with Wendy, and it was all he could think about. Nothing could kill the happiness he was feeling, or so he thought. He was still in his work uniform as he got to the boys’ apartment building, unsure of which of the guys would be home as he got there. It was funny, how even though they lived together they didn’t see each other all that often, especially as things started feeling so weird between them all. He was tired of the tension, though, and wanted the new year to bring them back together somehow.

Seeing Tiara outside the apartments was a surprise, and he shot her a smile. He’d just been thinking about her, actually. She’d been awfully quiet lately, and he had been curious to know how she’d been since they last talked. His smile faded as he noticed her expression, though. Was something wrong? She was quick to pull him into a hug, and he didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around her, giving her a light squeeze as he said, “Hey Ti, what’s up?” His eyes lit up slightly as she handed him the gift bag, glancing inside as she described what was inside. “This is so nice, you didn’t have to—” but he stopped as he heard her continue. “Something awful? What do you mean?” He knew something was wrong as soon as he’d seen her, and now he felt worry forming in the pit of his stomach. “Did another post come out? Did something happen?” He asked, his tone filled with concern. He put a hand on her shoulder, as if scared she was gonna run off if he didn’t keep her right there. “What’s going on? Talk to me.”

Everything felt like a big question mark with her future between Tiara, Peter, and Cubby. It seemed like, no matter what she did, she was going to wind up hurting someone. What mattered now was what would make her happy. At least, Wendy hoped that it would be that simple. There really was no telling what would make her the happiest, or who, but she did know that she could be happy with the person beside her. Cubby had been so secretive about how he felt for her for so long, but since being forced out of his shell, all he had done was remind Wendy in the subtlest of ways of how much he cared about her. There was no pressure, leaving it almost too easy for her to forget everything else.

Lost in her thoughts, she turned back to Colin, taking a sip of her own champagne as he spoke. Wendy hadn’t even heard all of it with how distracted she’d become. “If not a romance? An adventure,” she answered quickly. All she’d ever wanted was thrill and exploration, which was why she’d become friends with Peter in the first place. “Sometimes I think about taking all of ours and compiling them into one place, one story. Peter’s favorites are the ones that are all about him,” Wendy reminded him with a laugh. “Maybe this year will make it clear, which direction to go in.”

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Of course, Cubby was genuinely intrigued to hear about Wendy’s ideas for a novel, but unfortunately his mind was preoccupied as the minutes went on, only briefly hearing what Wendy was excitedly talking about — an adventure. That’s what they were about to experience, he realized. If he kissed Wendy at midnight, which he’d already told himself he would, it would start an adventure that neither of them knew how it would end up. It was new, it was scary, but it was exciting.

He opened his mouth to say something, to make sure Wendy knew he was paying attention, but he was cut off by an announcement that there was only a minute left. Everyone around them seemed to be chattering excitedly, and Colin’s heart rate seemed to suddenly skyrocket. “This is it,” he said to her with a smile, though she probably didn’t know what he meant by that, but this was it — it was the end of a year, and the beginning of a new one. The beginning of an adventure. His gaze kept falling down to her lips as they counted down from 10. Her arm was no longer linked with his, but he held onto her hand, his thumb brushing her skin gently. From 10 down to the very last second, she was his only focus. Three, he felt his other hand grip his champagne glass tighter. Two, he used Wendy’s hand to bring her closer to him. One. They both shared a quick “Happy New Year,” but it was cut short by Colin breaking the space between them, his lips against hers.

Wendy nodded her head as she listened to him talk about re-focusing his priorities. She could admire him taking more time to focus on himself and what he wanted to get out of the year: Wendy knew him to be selfless and always taking the back seat for everyone else. At least, he had for a long time when it came to Peter. “I think that’s a good resolution. I think you can resolve to do whatever you want to do differently in the new year, as long as it’s for the better.” At least, that’s how she tried to look at it. Making these big plans for changing someone’s entire life didn’t seem productive in any sense, as far as she could tell.

As she turned back toward the dance floor, Wendy slipped her arm in his without second thought. She couldn’t tell if it was the champagne or the environment of people getting seemingly closer as midnight approached. “A romance?” Wendy nearly snorted, looking to him with a shake of her head and a smile. “I think I’m about the last person on the planet who should be writing about romance when I’m … the least experienced person in that subject.” Maybe she was on the right path, though, with the person beside her. 

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It had only been the recent events with the gossip blog that made Colin realize that he needed to refocus his priorities. He’d been riding through life in the backseat for a long time, and now it felt like it was time to jump to the driver’s seat, take charge for once. He didn’t know where it would lead him, but he was eager to see how everything played out. First, though, he needed to take a chance with Wendy. Tonight felt like the night to take the next initiative, but he hoped that his boldness wouldn’t scare her away.

He smiled at Wendy’s encouraging words. “I hope it’s for the better,” he nodded in agreement. Once they had their champagne, Wendy’s arm slipped into his so casually, as if it were something she’d done a million times before, and he couldn’t help but appreciate her so close to him. Still a bit nervous, he took a sip from the champagne for some liquid confidence.

Her reaction as he mentioned a romance was unexpected, laughing along as she seemed to. “What? You don’t think you could?” He asked in disbelief. If he had to trust anyone to write a romance, it would certainly be Wendy. “Oh come on, that doesn’t mean anything. I’m sure you’d come up with something amazing.” Perhaps she needed a good romance in her life first, something that he was willing and eager to provide for her. He glanced at the clock as he noticed midnight itching closer and closer, the alcohol starting to make him feel warm. “So if not a romance, what instead?”

“Really well, actually,” she confirmed, “I’m just as surprised as you are. She let me in quite easy, and then she was pretty honest about all of it, too. At least, I thought she was.” It was as far as they had ever gotten in terms of talking beyond the surface-level bickering that they’d previously engaged in. It seemed like they were heading in the right direction toward some sort of friendship. It was all she’d ever wanted for the two of them, to unify the two sides of their friend group that had felt some level of separation that she’d felt personally responsible for. She’d been trying for years to solve it, but if it took Tiara and Nolan being together for it to happen, then so be it. 

As they finally reached the front of the line, Wendy ordered the two glasses of champagne for them, leaning on the counter as they waited for the bartender to return. Part of her wanted to ask if he’d thought about kissing someone at midnight, but she was pretty sure she already knew the answer. “Do you have any, um, resolutions for the new year? Things you’d like to accomplish?” she asked, breaking the ice once again. “I think I’d like to get started working on my novel this year, finally, after I graduate.”

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It was obvious that Wendy genuinely cared about all of their friends, even if they didn’t reciprocate those feelings to Wendy in return. Cubby had known Tiara longer than knowing Wendy, and it was clear that she was just shaken up about another girl joining the group. It was different than all of Tiara’s friends intermixing with the lost boys, and being caught between that dynamic sucked for him. He cared about both of them a lot, and he knew that Peter did, too. Hearing Wendy admit that the other allowed her to come in to talk was an indicator that maybe, just maybe, the two could eventually find some common ground. He smiled.

Soon, they were getting their glasses of champagne, and Colin noticed Wendy’s eyes on him as they waited for the bartender to return. The closer it got to midnight, the more nervous he grew. Would tonight be his chance? “Resolutions? Not really anything specific,” he admitted. “Maybe prioritizing my time better, refocusing what my priorities are..” He began to briefly list. Now that he was getting more comfortable with his poetry, it made him realize he’d rather spend his time doing that than practicing bass, something he wasn’t so good at. It was hard to think about giving up on that, though, when music was one of the few things that was still keeping the boys connected. He knew he and Peter already discussed their friendship being stronger than any of the drama afoot, but that didn’t make him worry any less at times. “That’s a pretty big resolution,” he smiled again as Wendy mentioned her novel. “Is it gonna be a romance?”