Get Out, Get Gone

"Really? So where ya off to, golden boy?"

“I’m still waiting to hear from Brown and Cornell. But right now it looks like Princeton is in my horizons.” 

"All right j–– Wait, you don’t believe me?"

“Kaelin, you’re fifteen. Or sixteen. Or whatever age you are, you are far too young to know any woman of that place. I mean, look at yourself you still have baby cheeks. And if you do know them, I highly doubt any would take you seriously.” 

Oz raised his hand to rest it on Grant’s nape, his thumb against the other’s jaw. The space between them was still the same, Oscar’s sobriety never allowing him to cross the invisible line they both drawn so carefully. Though he couldn’t remember much about what happened, it was evident that, if he was sitting on his bed right now, looking at Grant’s eyes, was mostly because his friend helped him. And Oscar Kaminski wasn’t one to forget his debts so easily. “I have you to thank for that, mate” and with a last smile, his hand came back to its place and his eyes found somewhere else to look.

Grant offered a grin to Oz and replied with a, “What are friends for?” But there was something at the back of his mind telling him that friends did not normally help friends in that way. There was something deeper than friendship, Grant realized, but he wasn’t sure what. And he wasn’t quite ready to find out. 

"I’m glad you don’t, Grant. I really am." Oscar closed his eyes, a faint smile appearing on his lips. He couldn’t describe the warm feeling on his chest when he heard Grant’s words. It wasn’t rational. Not much on that whole day was. But Oscar was satisfied for the reassurance that his best friend (or whatever Grant was for him) never had to experience something similar to what he lived. It meant Grant was safe from a terror which haunted Oscar until this day, and it made Oz sigh in relief as he realized how much he wanted to believe on those things; how much he wished Grant to be the happiest person on this whole world.

The fall of ones you loved was always a hard one to watch. And since Oscar was someone he cared about more than even his own brothers, it was hard to see his friend like this. Grant had been in the room with Oscar for what must have been a few hours now and still the sight in front of him had not fully sunk into his brain enough for him to fully comprehend it. He was still in a bit of shock at how broken his friend was. But was he surprised? No. Now that he had had a bit of time to think about it, he wasn’t really surprised. 

"Threatening? Sweetheart, I’m a fucking angel, so please, take some time to appreciate my blue eyes, purer than Virgin Mary’s ones, and listen to my fucking gentle request. You won’t regret it, I can assure you this much."

“An angel? You? A fallen angel, maybe. I never said I would regret it. I think I know you well enough by now to know most of the time spent with you is, at the very least, tolerable.” 

"Oh- uh yeah sure. I’ll let you know. I don’t know what I"m doing fully. I have no idea if Alek has even planned anything. But I’ll definitely let you know." he felt a bit awkward. "And uh- well I guess I’ll just let you get back to being happy about college acceptances." keep it casual he thought.

Grant nodded, “Right. I’ll see you around then?” 

"Yeah, this coming Saturday. Turning eighteen..doing that legal thing." Garrett wasn’t sure how to feel about it. He and Ben had been planning their 18th birthday for a long time (though at the time they had planned to both be at home and not separated). That and their 21st, and then their 50th. "So far, we’re going to buy lottery tickets, and a pack of cigarettes. He’s going to smoke them on skye and then pick up whatever girl he gets and do God knows what with her. And I’ll- probably watch Netflix."

"Well," Grant said, "if you want to do something besides Netflix, just uh, just let me know I guess?" 

Glad for a change in subject, Garrett thought about what he’d been up to. “Well…Leonard Nimoy died, so I had an entire Star Trek night…I got some new bruises on my legs from lacrosse practice…that’s about it.” he really wasn’t sure what all to say to Grant. The whole point of their arrangement was that they didn’t talk, because that wouldn’t be casual. “Oh- and my brother skyped me so we could plan our birthday this Saturday.” 

"Saturday? As in this coming Saturday?" Grant asked, raising an eyebrow. "What are you doing to celebrate that?" 

"Yup, the future is important." Garrett didn’t know what to say other than that to Grant. The future usually meant something far off, and it was always implied that things in the present were going to get dropped for the future. “Though I guess looking for next year will depend on which college you pick.” 

"Yeah, that's true." Grant said. He wasn't entirely sure what else to say. He and Garrett didn't exactly do much talking. "How have you been, then?" 

"What do you take me for? I’ve got connections, mate, all the pretty ladies, I know them well."

"Well then, what are you waiting for?"

"Look at that, sounding all important. You better have time for me no matter what, McLeod."

"I always have time for you, Oscar. And not just because that sounded vaguely threatening..."

"There’s nothing wrong, Grant. I don’t know why you think there is." though if Garrett were being honest there was something wrong. "Stop thinking about it, you should be thinking about college, it’s a big deal." 

"Right, okay." Whatever it was that was bothering the other boy he clearly did not want to tell Grant so Grant decided to drop it. "And now that I've actually been accepted to college... I guess it's time to start thinking about where I'm going next year."

"Can’t say. I have a theory Casper is hitting me over the head every night."

"That's an interesting theory. But, whatever works, I guess." 

"I’m not mad Grant, just forget it." Garrett didn’t want to fight with anyone today. "Princeton’s a great school, so are Brown and Cornell. Looks like you don’t have to stress anymore. You should celebrate." he was still a bit frosty, but his compliments about the schools were sincere as well as the fact that celebration was in order. College was a huge thing. 

"Right, thanks," Grant said in response to Garrett's congratulating him. He pressed his lips together, still noticing that Garrett's attitude was a little off from normal. "Well, if you aren't mad at me, what's wrong?" 

"What? Me? Mad? I’m not mad." Garrett was a bit miffed that Grant had gone all week without so much as a text. But he really didn’t need to be so mad about it- it wasn’t like they were serious. That didn’t mean it didn’t still hurt. "Congrats on getting accepted to college, which one did you get into?" he let some enthusiasm into his voice.