#ethoryweek

None looked like Ethan and none quite had the personality of Ethan.

But Rory liked these characters and people.

The ones Ethan wasn’t like.

And Ethan wasn’t going to change his personality for Rory, but, well, he could change his appearance for him.

He gathered some money and asked his mom to take him clothes shopping the next day. She had been surprised and had jumped at the chance, even denying taking Jane even though Jane loved shopping.

She had been helpful when they went through thrift stores and other stores, asking him the kinds of things that he wanted and helping him know what would fit when the sizes of things were confusing. There were moments where he had been annoyed at her, but she had bought a few things for him that she said were “cute” on him, so it had still been a good time. They went and got fast food together, with the promise that they wouldn’t tell dad or Jane.

And when he got home he washed everything, staying up until 3 am to make sure the last load was in the dryer and on and collapsed into bed after the long day.

The next day was school and so he picked out an outfit, new shoes, new pants, new shirt, new jacket. He felt like it was halloween and he was Jakeward again. Although he did think he looked cool, he felt a little awkward in it.

Looking in the mirror was strange, but he pushed that aside. He just had to get used to it, and it was for Rory anyway.

-

Rory had acknowledged that Ethan was dressed differently, but he also hadn’t.

Erica had acknowledged how differently Ethan was dressed. Although she seemed to both hate and like it at the same time at first, she landed on the opinion that he needed to go back to “looking like a true nerd, nerd.”

Benny had known he had gone shopping but hadn’t expected for Ethan to show up looking so different. He immediately asked to see if the jacket fit him so he could borrow it some time, it was a little bit loose on Ethan. But it was by design. Ethan shrugged and let Benny try it on. It looked out of place on him too, like the jacket that Evil Benny wore had looked on him. Nice, but out of place almost. Benny seemed to still like it and gave it back to Ethan with the warning that it might be stolen.

Sarah had taken a few moments to properly comment on Ethan’s new outfit but had complimented the shoes and teased him about how different he looked. She did clarify that she didn’t think it looked bad though.

Rory, which was who Ethan was doing this for, had stopped in his tracks as he greeted Ethan in the morning and had stared Ethan up and down several times before pretending nothing was wrong. Then he ran off saying that he was meeting a teacher for some help with the homework while the others started talking about Ethan’s outfit.

Which wasn’t the reaction Ethan wanted. Maybe Rory had been checking him out, but Rory hadn’t blushed or looked flustered? And then he ran off without actually saying anything about the outfit.

Other people throughout the day had mentioned the outfit, a few students and teachers. Ethan was sure some of the bullies had been laughing at him too but they hadn’t come up to say anything to him.

Rory had been at lunch but had spent the entire time talking about Ocarina of Time, which he had spent the weekend playing on his fixed up gamecube. Sarah and Erica had been engaged in their own topic of conversation and Benny had been idly doing homework for his next class, occasionally looking up when Rory said something he found interesting.

Ethan admitted to himself as Rory had stood up to go to class early that he was disappointed his boyfriend didn’t seem interested in the way Ethan was dressed.

Throughout the rest of the school day he was quiet, stuck in his head as he thought about Rory’s reaction. His teachers tried to get him to pay attention but it didn’t work. When class was dismissed he slowly packed his bag and went to go find Rory.

They needed to talk and if they walked home together it would give Ethan the time to do it. He’d just tell Benny to walk home alone or go bug Erica and Sarah.

The group met up in front of Sarah’s locker, usually to complain about class and the other students, it was the only locker Erica was fine with standing in front of with the “nerdy losers”.

Ethan let the conversation happen for a bit until he said something to Benny.

“Hey I’m going to walk home with Rory today, sorry.”

“ Bro, really? Abandoning me again?”

“Yeah.”

“Fine, but are we still on for Halo tonight?”

“Should be. Alright, cmon Rory.” He felt a bit bad not giving Rory a chance to say no, but they needed to talk.

Rory blinked at Ethan for a moment but then broke out into a grin, “Let’s go!”

The two started walking side by side. Ethan waited for Rory to start breaking into conversation but was surprised when his boyfriend was still silent even when they got out of the crowd of people walking home from school.

Ethan was a bit unsure how to start the conversation though, but it needed to happen. Rory spoke first though.

“Why did you decide to change your style?”

“What?’’

“Your style, it’s really different today.”

“Oh, you don’t like it?”

“Hey, I asked a question first!” Rory teasingly protested, but Ethan could tell that there was something a bit strange going on from his voice. It wasn’t an actual protest but it still felt strange.

“I wanted to, now answer my question.”

Rory blinked at him and Ethan couldn’t tell why Rory was reacting this way at all.

“I like the outfit.”

That was worse actually. Rory said it in such a monotone voice it was unsettling. Ethan stopped walking and crossed his arms.

“It doesn’t seem like it.

Rory stopped and just frowned and stared at Ethan more.

“Why did you get new clothes? They…”

“They what?”

“They look different.”

“They're new Rory.” It was a bit harsh sounding to Ethan’s ear and he saw Rory recoil a bit.

“I’m sorry. I like it Ethan, I do like the outfit. It looks good on you.”

“But? You haven’t reacted like you like it.”

“But, but, it doesn’t look like you. You don’t look like you. Ethan, if you like this outfit, wear it. But I was just surprised that you drastically changed your outfit like this.”

Ethan felt like stomping his foot, a very childish action he felt like. Was he supposed to tell Rory why he got new clothes? Would that be stupid? It felt like something that people would make fun of him for, but well.

Rory wasn’t like most people though. He was his weird vampire boyfriend who at lunch spent the entire time talking about a game that came out a decade ago. He ranted over and over again about the different Lord of the Rings movies, comic books, and Star Wars. He was unabashedly himself, and he never made fun of Ethan.

“IwantedtodresslikethecharactersyoulikebecauseI’mnotlikethematall.”

The bandage was ripped off and he wanted it back on immediately. Is that why it’s a turn of phrase, because you rip off the bandage and leave some part of the truth exposed? Some vulnerable piece of yourself exposed? Like leaving an injury to possible bacteria? That’s what it felt like.

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, well don’t think that! I, well” Rory paused for a moment and grinned, like he figured something out and was very proud of himself. “You do have something in common with all of them!”

“What? No I don’t.”

“Yes you do!”

“No I don’t!”

“Do!”

“Don’t!”

“So do! Just ask what it is.”

“What is it? What do I have in common with the characters you like?”

“Exactly! I like them. That’s what you have in common Ethan!”

Rory took a step closer.

“I like them, and I like you. You don’t have to look like any of them, because that’s not what matters, it’s how I feel. And well, I feel a lot more for you that I do for any of them. So, it’s like you win anyways. No need to dress a certain way so I’ll like you more.”

Rory really looked proud of himself.

Ethan felt his face heating up and he let his arm fall to his side as he put the other one on his face.

“Sooo! You don’t have to dress like that for me, but if you like it then I’ll support you! Cause I’ll like you either way!”

“Oh.”

“Yep! But I do think you should keep the shoes, I can see you wearing them much better than that jacket!”

“Okay, … thanks Rory.” Ethan breathed out and smiled at his boyfriend.

His thought process had been a bit skewed, he really should have just asked Rory instead of spending all of the money for some new clothes. He didn’t know the return policy on some of it.

He’d save that for tomorrow, maybe even the weekend. Right now he wanted to walk home with his boyfriend and talk about something with him. Anything with him.