Haven’t seen a single pair a fucking headlights

"are you wearing a backpack under your coat" with analogical? ❤️

A/N: Sorry I haven’t been posting as much lately, been in this weird writing funk and been concentrating on my Moxiety AU. I still am in this funk but luckily I wrote this a while ago and forgot to upload it so uuhh here ya are. I might continue this????

WC: 2,293

ships: Romantic Analogical, Romantic Royality

warnings: Nervousness, Anxiety, Mentions of abusive parents, Self- deprecating thoughts

Tag List:  @punsterterry @stormcrawler75@frostedlover@mycatshuman @mutechild@panicattheeverywhere15@overlord-winter @analogical-mess @saddestlittlebabe @combine-the-kitchens  @teacupfulofstarshine (figured you might want some analogical fluff since your going through a rough spot right now, if you didn’t want to be tagged sorry about that I’ll delete it ^^’) 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Are you wearing a backpack under your coat?”

Virgil spun around towards his best friends voice and gulped. The curious face of Logan met his eyes. Instantly he froze. Of course, Logan would notice. Of course, only Logan would notice too.

Just his luck to have a best friend who’s inquisitive. Yep. Wonderful.

“Y-Yeah! W-Why does it look weird?” His voice squeaked loudly and he rubbed his arm nervously. He had to keep himself from fidgeting and from biting his lip. Come on, Virgil, you can do this.

“Yes. It does. Why are you wearing it under not over? Won’t it be hard to take it off once we sit down?”

Yeah, he’s thought about that. But he couldn’t say anything else now.

“O-Oh well, nah it won’t. And well I uh…” He smiled nervously and pointed towards the Starbucks, “Let’s get going, shall we? Studying won’t study itself after all!”

Logan gave him a confused look, his eyebrow raising up at his odd behavior. “Alright… If you say so… Are you feeling alright, Virgil? Your acting-”

“Alright then come on!” Virgil grabbed Logan’s hand and practically dragged him inside the building. The familiar ding of the bell rang throughout the place. As well as the scents of coffee and treats drafted towards them and he took a nervous breath in. He can do this. He can pull this off without him finding out. Yeah… Yeah, he could.

For some reason, Logan was silent while they waited in line and paid. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed him eyeing his back. And he had to keep himself from fidgeting even more cause he’s noticed that makes them move.

Only when they sat down with their coffees did Logan finally speak.

“Why haven’t you been coming to school this past week?”

Wow… Just out with it huh… Logan's have never been the beat around the bush guy so he didn’t know what he expected.

“My parents and I’ve been on a vacation this week that’s why. We just got back. Overprotective much?” He said properly a bit too harshly and he had to keep himself from flinching.

“Really? Cause I visited your parents' house on Wednesday and they were there. And they didn’t look like they were about to leave for any vacation. When I asked where you were they closed the door at my face. Care to explain that?”

Virgil cursed in his mind. Fuck, he didn’t know that. Logan's piercing blue eyes stared back at him.

He wanted to tell Logan what happened. He really did. But…his parents didn’t react well to it. What if Logan doesn’t? What if he loses his best friend plus his parents all within a week? Sure, Logan is always patient. He’s always kind behind that cold exterior. But this…

And he could feel them ruffling against his bare back and closed his eyes. His grip on the coffee tightened.

“Logan… Please… Just… I’m fine, alright? Can you drop it?” He snapped.

The other didn’t seem to buy it. His intense eyes only stared back at him for a moment, seemly investigating him. And Virgil's feet shifted a bit under the table.

“Virgil… Is there a reason why the moment I mentioned your name your parents looked disgusted? I know your parents weren’t always nice to you but, disgusted? Plus those bags under your eyes got worse from the last time I saw you. There must be an explanation, Virgil, and out of kindness of our relationship I can’t let this go. If something’s wrong I want to know. Don’t you trust me?”

“No… Nothings wrong… I… I do trust you I just…” Well, that’s the biggest lie he’s ever said. Everything's wrong. He’s wrong. Life is wrong. These cursed things are wrong.

But Logan’s right… He deserves to know they���ve been friends for years and not one of them has a secret that the other doesn’t know. But-

“My apologies.” Virgil blinked at him, “I shouldn’t have come off that strong. You know I’m not good with these…emotions,” Logan waved his hand then fidgeted with his glasses, “However I do want you to know that you can tell me anything. If you aren’t ready right now then that’s fine. Whatever makes you comfortable…”

A small smile was on Logan’s face and Virgil gulped thickly. Heat rushed towards his cheeks. Fuck… Why does his best friend have to be so cute…

“I said that right, right? Patton taught me that and I hoped I said it right.”

Virgil chuckled and nodded, “Yeah… Yeah, nerd, you said it right. Thanks.” He took a sip of the coffee then sighed.

“You do deserve to know though Logan. It’s just…hard. There’s a reason why they looked so disgusted about me. And why I lied. It’s just… I don’t want you to react badly.”

“I can assure you I won’t, Virgil. I can promise you that.”

Slowly, Virgil glanced over towards his friend. In his head, he thought over everything that’s happened the past few days. And the outcomes if he did tell Logan. Then he finally sighed and stood up.

“Okay, I’ll tell you. But I can't show you here. Come with me to Roman’s place.”

“Roman's? The theater teacher? What’s he have to do with this?”

“Just…follow me, please?”

Logan nodded and they headed out of the coffee shop. The entire way there Virgil was an anxious mess. What if Roman is home and they come barging in? What if his are out and Logan sees before he can prepare him? He should text him.

‘Roman. Where are you?’

'At Patton’s place. Why, emo nightmare?’

'About to tell Lo. If this ends ugly can you come back?’

'Wait why are you at Patton’s place?’

'Of course, emo. Text me what happens. Or if you want me there, K?’

'Uhhh… We’re having a…date so to say. Don’t tell Lo.’

'Okay… If you're sure. Thanks, Foolish Caesar. Have fun with your play date.’

Well at least Romans out of the way. One less thing to worry about.

Though he could still feel Logan’s gaze on him and he cowered a bit in his jacket. Not a word was spoken the entire time. But halfway there Logan did place his hand on his and squeezed gently. Smiling he squeezed back embracing this now while he still can. He might never get another chance to.

Once they got to Romans place he opened the door and Logan walked in. They placed their shoes at the door, Logan taking off his jacket as well but Virgil kept his on.

“So… What did you want to tell me? Why did we have to come here?”

“Well… Logan… What’s your opinion on winged people?”

“Winged…?” Logan blinked at him then brought up a hand to his chin. “They’re fascinating. I did some research on them for last year’s finals paper. Did you know some of them can fly? While others are too small for their wings to lift them off the ground? They’re different types of wings. Hummingbirds, Eagles, Pigeons, for instance. They are quite rare.” Then he blinked again, “Why do you ask?”

“Do you find them..weird? Gross? Not of nature?” He ignored his question and plowed on. He has to know.

“No? Why would I? I think they’re beautiful in their own way. What does this have to do with your disappearance, Virgil?”

Slowly the emo took a deep breath. Okay… Okay, he doesn’t look like he’s lying. A faint blush was on his cheeks though at the mention of them being beautiful, however.

“Okay… Logan… Don’t freak out, please? I’m… I’m one of them.”

Logan stared at him again. Then tilted his head, only confusion written on his face. “No, you aren’t. Most winged people get their wings when they hit puberty. You're too old for that. If this is some joke-”

“No! No, it’s not, Logan! I swear to you! I guess.. I guess I was just a late bloomer.” As he said that he slowly took the jacket off and closed his eyes. The wings sprouted out of the purple and black jacket and they lifted in the air then curled around their host for protection. There was silence.

Instantly his mind began to panic. He knew this was a bad idea. He knew he shouldn’t have told Logan. This was a mistake. Now he just lost his best friend and his parents-

His eyes snapped open suddenly as he felt a gentle hand run through his dense feathers and he sucked in a breath. Logan was running a hand through his wings being extra careful about them and having a sense of awe and wonderment. He almost looked like if somebody showed him a galaxy that he could touch.

And it brought tears to his eyes.

“Y… You have wings…” Logan breathed.

“Y-Yeah…” The wings itched their way from his body as it became quite clear that Logan wasn’t going to freak out or hurt him.

“T-They're… So beautiful…”

Virgil definitely didn’t think they were beautiful by the slightest. They were a dark grey color with a tint of purple to them when they hit the sun. Plus there was a bit of white at the tips and where they connected to his back.

He chuckled, “They really aren’t… You should see Roman’s… Now those are beautiful…”

“Roman has wings too?”

A hand snapped to his mouth. He didn’t mean to say that.

“S-Shit. I wasn't supposed to tell you that. I-I'm sorry!”

“Virgil… It’s alright… So… So this is why you’ve been avoiding me? And not coming to school?”

Logan's hand was still on his wings and he gulped. Only Roman touched his wings like this it was strange to have somebody else touch it that didn’t mean them any harm. His parents touched them before they kicked him out but well...they were still healing from that...Logan seemed to notice his discomfort and removed his hand.

“Y-Yeah… My.. My parents found out and wasn’t…they didn’t like them… They… They kicked me out… And Roman took me in…” His breath shook as he spoke and his wings quivered.

And just like that Logan looked outraged. That sparkle in his eyes was gone only to be replaced by pure anger and in those blue eyes, it looked terrifying. “They did what?” He snarled.

Even though he knew Logan won’t hurt him he couldn’t help but shrink back and whimper. And the moment he did Logan closed his eyes. He took off his glasses to rub his eyes then quickly put them back. He seemed to calm down.

“I apologize, Virgil. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m…sorry they did such a thing. You…were scared that I won’t take this right and leave you, weren’t you? That’s why you didn’t tell me?”

Virgil slowly nodded rubbing his arm and glancing away shamelessly.

“Virgil. Can you look at me?”

Then his gaze slowly drifted back towards him and he could see his own fear in Logan's eyes reflecting back at him.

“I’m not going to abandon you over something like this. I’m never going to, in fact. What your parents did to you was horrible. I think your beautiful, wings and all.”

His breath seemed to stop in his chest. Wait…

“W-What…?”

Logan smiled gently and came closer he grabbed Virgil’s hands and held them in his. “This isn’t..how I wanted to tell you this. But I do like you, Virgil. Not in the platonic friendship kind of way. In the romantic kind of way. When you disappeared I’ve come to realize this. I’ve pushed away those feelings cause I didn’t think you felt the same way. But when you were gone I became…frantic that something happened to you and I wasn’t ever able to tell you this. You don’t have to feel the same way. But I thought you deserved to know.”

Virgil’s eyes widened. This… This can’t be happening. His crush for years was…is actually… Really the first day they met he fell in love with Logan but he knew the other didn’t feel the same way so he squashed those feelings down. Instead, he became his friend and that was enough for him. But…

With a hurried rush of energy Virgil suddenly leaned forward and kissed Logan. He could feel the other tensing up for just a moment then relaxed slowly. And he could feel Logan’s hand raising to gently hold his cheek.

The wings went from around Virgil to around both of them in their own little cocoon.

Then they broke apart. Logan had such a dazzled glee look in his eyes that it made Virgil snort.

“What? What’s so funny?”

“Your such a nerd, you know that?”

“So you keep telling me.”

Then they both laughed. Their laughter echoed around the living room until they couldn’t any longer. They moved to the couch and snuggled up close to each other. Virgil’s face pressed against Logan’s chest with his wings wrapped around the other and he felt Logan’s hands going through his hair gently as the other held them.

Together, they sat in silence basking in their warmth and love for each other. Not a word was spoken, at least not out loud. But they were having a silent conversation. One that spoke of love and acceptance.

When Roman came home a few hours later only to find the small emo cuddled up asleep against the nerd he didn’t say a thing. Instead, he only chuckled and placed his jacket by the door. His own huge red eagle wings came from his back and he sighed. With a small chuckle, he came closer and rubbed Virgil’s hair in his hands. Then went upstairs to his room, leaving the two love birds alone.

4/20 clown wig!

hehehehehhe high bois are BACK! (feat. a very exasperated spot)

warnings: weed and clowns

ship: platonic spralbert

editing: lmao no

word count: 1732

-

“It is officially the greatest national holiday and I bought tickets to the circus in town.”  Race froze, not shifting his gaze from his computer screen as his roommate’s words sunk in.

Slowly, he turned in his seat, fixing Albert with an incredulous stare, “Albert, what are you talking about?”

Albert stood in his doorway, weed-print snapback placed backwards on his head.  Race gave him a onceover, noting his weed socks and vans.  He blinked, looking behind him to glance at the date on the bottom of his screen.

April 20, 2019.

His eyes widened, “Jesus Christ I almost missed weed day!” He shut his computer quickly and stood abruptly from his seat, rounding on Albert once more, “You bought tickets to a circus?  We’re gonna go to a circus high?”

Albert shrugged, “why the fuck not?”  He clicked on his phone, seeing that he’d received a text, “Oh yeah, Spot’s gonna come too.  Said he wasn’t gonna let us drive high I guess,” he paused for a moment, thinking, “Although I’ve done it before.”

They stared at each other for a moment, expressions blank and serious, then Race shrugged as well, pushing past him to grab his keys from the hallway.

“Okay, cool,” He called over his shoulder, “Sounds fun!”

XXX

The three boys made the short trek from the parking area towards the tent, Albert and Race attempting to seem as sober as possible given the fact that they’d just hotboxed in Race’s car, much to Spot’s dismay.

“I don’t understand why you two couldn’t have just, like, hit Albert’s pen a few times on the way,” He grumbled, pulling ahead of his two friend as they neared the tent.

“Spottiee, that wouldn’t be respecting weed day!” Race said, jogging forward and leaning into Spot’s side, “We gotta go all out!”  

Spot rolled his eyes, blindly shoving Race off of him.  Race stumbled to the side, pitching towards the ground.

“Christ,” Spot hissed, swooping to catch Race before he was able to fall completely, “I regret coming.”

They entered the tent, taking a moment to find their seats.  It was fairly crowded, filled with families looking to bring their kids out for a fun activity.  Or expose them to clowns and scar them for life.  They were practically the same thing.

Spot was momentarily relieved to find they weren’t sitting next to any families with very young children.  No child should be subjected to the nightmares that were Race and Albert while high.

“It smellllllsss like, uh, hay in here,” Albert said, dazedly slapping Race on the shoulder to get his attention.

Race took a moment to sluggishly place some cotton candy in his mouth, before looking at Albert.  His eyes scanned slowly from Albert’s face to the center of the tent, where hay covered the ground underneath the small, circular stage platform.

His eyes widened comically, “Hey!” he hit Albert’s arm excitedly, “Hey! Albert, HEY! There’s HAY!”

Albert followed his gaze to the hay, bloodshot eyes lighting up, “Oh, I bet that’s where the smell is coming from,” he giggled, “Hey, Race, when you were telling me about the hay you said ‘hey’ and then you talked about ‘hay’...” he trailed off, frowning for a moment, “M’talkin’ stupid! I’m just talking so stupid.”

Race eyed him, amused, “yeah, you aaare, but you always do so it’s okay.”

Spot barely glanced up from his phone, “You both always do and it gives me a headache.”

The lights in the tent faded, coaxing the room to silence.  Suddenly, with a flash of color, the stage lit up, revealing the ringmaster standing in the center.

“Holy fuck I want his hat,” Albert stage whispered, leaning in close to Race as he gestured to the ringmaster’s top hat.

“Go get it,” Race whispered back, lifting his legs to let Albert out.

Albert shook his head, “I’m high and gay, not stupid and impulsive.”

Spot scoffed, “Incorrect.  You are, in fact, all four of those things.”

Albert frowned, opening his mouth to retort, but Spot held up a hand.

“I know this is a foreign concept for you two, but we gotta be quiet now.  It’s a performance,” He gestured to where a few trapeze artists were preparing their act.

“Okay, mom,” Race said, over exaggerating each syllable and slumping into his seat, stifling a giggle.

Albert flicked his eyes towards Race, eyes glinting.  He held a fist to his mouth, trying as well to hold in his own laughter.  Soon, both of them were snickering unsubtly in their seats.

Spot allowed his head to tilt backwards, exasperation itching the back of his neck.  He rolled his head to the side, taking in the view of hundreds of parents and suddenly feeling an odd sense of solidarity towards them.  

Several acts performed without much event.  Spot allowed himself to get caught up in the show, clapping along with other audience members at the acrobatics and trying not to cringe at the too loud cheering of his friends.

When the clowns came out, however, everything went to shit.

Albert let out a little scream, pressing himself further into his seat.  Alarmed, Spot looked over to see him cowering and covering his face.

“What, not a fan of clowns or something?” He whispered.

Albert shook his head, peeking out between his fingers, “They’re sooo weird,” he said, words slurring together, as he leaned dramatically over his armrest to look at Spot.  Spot’s eyes widened and he reared back slightly at his friend’s sudden closeness.

“And once,” Albert began, “Some kid in my class in, like, third grade told me I look like a clown ‘cause I’m pale as shit and have red hair.  So, for the rest of the year, everyone called me ‘Clownbert’.”

Spot couldn’t contain his laughter at that, “C-Clownbert!? Bro, I’m sorry, I’m gonna call you that from now on.”

Albert pouted, crossing his arms and facing front again, “And I want a divorce.”

“Okay, Clownbert.”

Race suddenly turned, looking from Albert to Spot rapidly, “Oh, that’s tragic, Spot what’re you gonna do!”

Spot shook his head, “Watch the show, assholes.”

“Oh my fucking….” Albert was transfixed, eyes bulging out of his head as he tuned back into the performance.

Spot followed his gaze to where fifteen or so clowns were climbing into a small car, seemingly disappearing inside.  He huffed a small laugh, looking back at Albert who’s mouth was still hanging open.

“Where do they all go?” He asked in awe.

Spot considered telling him that there was probably a hole in the car that all the clowns climbed into, leading underneath the stage, but he was enjoying Albert’s confusion.  He leaned over to check on Race, but frowned when he found his friend staring at the act, eyebrows furrowed and an indiscernible look in his eyes.  He looked incredibly bothered, but before Spot could question him, the elephants were brought out and Albert was once again screaming.

The rest of the performance passed rather quickly, only giving way to a few solo acts and some pretty impressive fire tricks.  When it was over, Spot stood and applauded with everyone else, motioning for Albert and Race to do the same.  Albert stood, enthusiastically cheering as well, but Race remained seated, still looking troubled.

“Okay, what’s gotcha put off?” Spot asked Race as soon as they got back into Race’s car.  It still smelled obnoxiously like weed and Spot wrinkled his nose, rolling down the window.

Race allowed his head to loll a bit, reaching into his pocket and extracting his own dab pen, taking another drag.

He allowed the weed to work its way into his system before answering, “Dunno, I guess I see why Ronald McDonald is so depressed.”

Spot choked, ignoring Albert’s mumbled requests for fruity pebbles from the backseat, “What?”

“Being a clown’s hard, man!” Race insisted, sitting up straighter, “Ya know! No one asks clowns how they are, they just think they’re fucking creepy all the time!  They always ask the clown who they are, but never how they are.”

Spot was dumbfounded, but Race was on a roll.

“You ever think there’s a reason that they climb into that little car, all of them at once,” He shifted his body so that he could see both Spot and Albert, “So they can consolidate together...mope in sadness...but of course they don’t want to stuff themselves into cars for your entertainment,” He shook his head, anger causing his face to scrunch up, “they’re paid to do this, but this isn’t right!  It shouldn’t be their job, that’s clown abuse…”

He sat in thought for another moment before nodding decisively and leaning back into his seat, loosening his seatbelt.

Spot stared at the road, lost for words, “Wow, Race….that was, uh, that was-”

“Poetic,” Albert said from the back, voice sounding strained.  Spot flicked his eyes to the rearview mirror to see tears glinting in Albert’s eyes and he resisted the urge to slam his head into the steering wheel.

“Thank you, Al,” Race said, “Anyway, m’hungry.”

“Me too!” Albert exclaimed, tears and clown rights forgotten, “Spot can we go pick up fruity pebbles?”

“Dontcha have some in your apartment?” Spot asked, taking the exit back to campus.

“Uhhh,” Albert cocked his head in thought, “I don’t know…”

Spot shifted his jaw, “I have an emergency stash at my apartment, let’s just go there.”

“Okay! Party!” Race cheered.

Spot managed to corral them to his room, seating them safely on the couch before venturing to the kitchen to retrieve Albert’s fruity pebbles.

“Whatcha want, Racer?” He called, pouring milk into a single serving cup of fruity pebbles.

“Mmmm mac and cheese,” Came Race’s garbled response.

“Shoulda guessed,” Spot said to himself, also preparing a Kraft microwavable cup of macaroni and cheese.

He handed Race and Albert their respective munchie snacks and perched himself on the armchair across from them, smirking when they began to scarf down the food.  

He picked up the remote, switching on youtube and pulling up the latest episode of Buzzfeed Unsolved, “Did you guys have a good Weed Day?” he asked.

Albert nodded, mouth full of fruity pebbles, “yeahhhhh.”

“How ‘bout you, Race?”

“I did,” he said, taking another bite of mac and cheese, “Also, I’m dropping out of college and going to clown school to become an advocate for clown rights.”

“Jesus Christ.”

-

lmao Clownbert,,,,i kinda wanna photoshop that

thanks for reading, chiefs

hmu to be added to my taglist

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Survey #229

“goddamn, need some help, ‘cuz my girlfriend’s in love with someone else.”

What would you consider to be the worst television channel out there? Idk. I don't watch TV. Are you currently sitting on your bed or some other place? Where? I'm lying in my bed. Have you ever had anyone drop off animals at your house? What kind? No. When was the last time you were somewhere that offered free Wi-Fi? Today/technically yesterday but w/e. My school offers it free, but the connection isn't strong. Do you know anyone who is on drugs? Are you personally on them? I mean, I know people with prescriptions of course. If you mean illicit drugs, yes. I don't take them. Name one interesting fact about yourself that people might not know about? Uhhhh I used to be a dancer. Do you ever have to write down a phone number to remember it, or not? Oh yeah, I don't even have my own phone number memorized. Who was the last person you talked to on an instant messaging service? Hm. Oh, Facebook says the friend of my sister whose wedding I shot. I did it like, two or three or so years ago and she wanted to know if I had the raw photos I took, and I'd literally JUST cleaned out my OneDrive a couple days ago, so they were deleted. Talk about bad timing. What color are your curtains? Are you satisfied with this color? Maroon. Yeah. Does your phone have texting? How many times a day do you text, estimate? Yeah, and I don't have a clue. Sara and I generally text all throughout the day. When was the last time you were stung by a bee? What kind was it? Uhhh over a year ago or something. Was the only time. It was just a bumblebee. Do you know anyone personally who had their house burn down before? Yes. Do you think the media can further manipulate our teenagers anymore? Ohhhh, I'm sure it could get even worse. Who would you consider to be your favorite American Idol on the show? I've watched so little of that show. Do you know anyone who has their septum pierced? Does it look painful? I know two, off the top of my head. And I mean, a piercing is a needle shoved into your skin. It's obviously painful to a degree. I'd imagine the septum to be more painful than a lot considering the thick cartilage. Has anyone ever complimented you on your singing? Did you believe them? Yeah, and I dunno. I don't generally like my singing voice, but I think I sing some songs okay. Do you know someone who constantly tries to embarrass you on all occasions? Omg no, I could never handle someone like that with how poorly I handle embarrassment. Has anyone ever kissed you in the rain? Did it seem romantic at the time? Yeah, and I guess, only really because it's an "accepted" thing as romantic. Something you're taught young. What is one part on your body that hurts at this moment, if anything? Nothing, at the moment. What was the last song you listened to? Did you enjoy this song? This metal medley I adore of Shadow of the Colossus pieces is on rn. What is your heritage? Do you have a bunch of mixed heritages? German, Irish, and Polish. When was the last time you listened to a genre of you music you despise? I didn't really *listen* to it, but some ass was blaring his rap music in FYS today. Have you ever tried the cinnamon challenge? NO, do NOT. That shit is noooot a joke. People have died. Do you ever countdown to anything? Not really, at least not seriously. Who was the last person to visit your house besides family? A friend of mine and Mom's, Randy. My rat Mitsu apparently fell or something, and her teeth were knocked crooked, and they became grossly overgrown and had to be clipped. He works at a wildlife rehab clinic and is overall just real experienced with animals. It was so awful though, seeing her like that. He's coming over about once a month now to keep them clipped; he's quite sure she has... damn, what was it? Metabolic bone disease (very common in rats), I think, that will push her teeth to keep growing. I can't remember exactly what he said, but. Are you allowed to watch rated R movies? I'm... nearing 24, lmao. How many bedrooms are in your house? Two. Do you see more of your mom or dad’s side of the family more? Mom's. I see both very rarely since they live states away, but yeah, Mom's. I haven't seen anyone in Dad's fam since I was a little kid. Are there any tattoos that you really want to get? lol got a few hours to talk? Do you really believe that everyone has a soul mate? Definitely not. You are compatible with sooooo many people. Do alligators scare you? I mean I wouldn't walk in front of one or anything, but as animals themselves, no. I think they're cool as fuck. Dinosaurs, man. Do you have abs? *ugly wheezing laughter* Have you ever been in detention? Twice I think, but only for too many tardies arriving at school. Do you believe in vampires? Uh no. Can you play the guitar? Not anymore. Have you ever kissed someone while they were dating someone else? Wow, no. Do you like hot dogs? Sadly. Are glasses a turn on or turn off for you? I don't care. Do you have a hot tub? Darling we poor. Would you ever try one of those dating websites? I like to pretend that one time NEVER fucking happened. I very much doubt I would again. Do you like to be tickled? Ew no don't. When’s the last time you flew a kite? Not since I was little. Do you ever take a bath and eat food at the same time? ... Does anyone do that?? Do you hate long surveys? No, I prefer them. I just do them over time. Gives me something to do... and I also don't spam where I share them. Do you like the taste of blood? UM no. Has anyone ever given you flowers? Yeah. When was the last time you swam in a lake? Wowie, I couldn't possibly guess. Who was the first friend you made in Junior High? That's a good question. Maybe Hannia? If you could learn any language, what would it be? GERMAN. I wanna be fluent. When was the last time someone asked you your age? Uhhh idk. Have you ever been on a train? No. Has anyone ever tried to physically fight you? No, but one girl literally told me she almost punched me. I used to hate her more than anyone in the world because she's Jason's ex and really hurt him, and yet now we're friends, lmao. Oh, how things can change. When was the last time you were angry? Last night because my headache wouldn't fuck off. What’s your worst subject in school? Math. I'm failing like, badly. What’s your favorite genre of music? Metal. Have you ever been called too skinny? OH MOST DEFINITELY NOT. Do you prefer analog or digital clocks? Analog clocks are way more aesthetically pleasing, but digital are more convenient. Do you have any stickers decorating your computer? Bruh I have tape, get on my fckng level. Tell me about the last nightmare you remember having. It was about seeing my grandma, who's really beginning to suffer from her chemo. What snacks do you usually get at the cinemas? Popcorn and a drink, then rarely a candy. Usually Sour Patch Kids. What scent is the deodorant you use? That's. A good question. I haven't payed attention. What did you last receive in the mail? The book Sara sent me. What is your favorite kind of fruit? Strawberries. How far away do you live from your place of birth? Like... 10-ish minutes? Have you ever been in a police car? Only when being transferred from the ER to psyche hospitals. How do you mark through your word search puzzles? I draw a line through them. Or circle them. Depends on the font and size, really. Have you ever sewn something? Idk how to sew. Name a CD you have or one you would like to have. Ha ha, the very first CD I personally bought was the "You're Awful, I Love You" album by Ludo. When I knew like, only three songs, ahaha. Have you ever watched an episode of Barney? I loved him as a kid, so, y'know. Can you name more than five U.S. presidents? Yeah, but I definitely don't know a lot. Are any of your neighbors’ yards in desperate need of a grass cutting? No. Do you still have your tonsils? Yessir. What does your mother’s wallet look like? What about your dad’s? Idk. I don't pay attention to Mom's and I very rarely see Dad. Who was the last person you cried in front of? My mom and one of my school advisors. And people who walked into the library. Do you think your last ex will eventually want to be with you again? He may still want to be, idk. It doesn't matter though. Does your ex hate you? The only ex I have that I think might is Jason. Do you have a friend of the opposite sex that you can talk to? Girt. Does anyone call you babe? Sara sometimes. Is your school’s mascot an animal? Yes. All my schools' were, lol. What would happen if you were stuck in an elevator with the person you’ve fallen the hardest for? I don't want to imagine it. Do you think that hair extensions and colored contacts make a person fake? Oh my god. Where do your hands go during kissing? I mean that. Depends. Generally just around a person's sides. Conservative or liberal? I'm such a mix. Do you have unlimited texting? Ye. Were you ever in the spelling bee? Never been a part of one. Do you dress suggestively? No. A very explicit song you’ve listened to recently? Ahaha, "Love Rhymes With Fuck You" by Jeffree Star is on right now and it is. Intense. When did you last see someone you know in public? Errrrr good question. Do you think you’d survive if zombies took over the world? Hell no. If you were to write a novel, what would it be about? The meerkat RP I've done since I was 10. My friends and I have made novels upon novels worth of stories. Are you currently pretending to be someone’s friend? No. Are you an impatient person? YEP!!!!!!!!! Are you afraid to watch movies that have sex scenes with your friends? Friends, no. It's awkward with family, though. Who sings the last song you listened to? Jeffree Star. Have you ever had a serious issue involving your eyes? No, other than being a blind mfkr. Have you ever watched South Park? Who’s your favorite character? Yes. Don't have one as I don't really care for it. Do you have sensitive teeth? Yes. Does it bother you to get shots in the mouth? Does it hurt? Nah. And I mean at the dentist they numb you, so not really. When did you last talk seriously with one of your parents? I have no clue. Does anyone ever say they miss you often? Sara. I mean we talk all the time, but she means like, physically being there. Would you rather become a wizard or a vampire, if you had the choice? Idk. I like vampires more, but a wizard sounds funner. Have you already moved out of your parents’ house? I've talked about the apartment situation enough. Are your parents divorced, married or separated? Divorced. Have you ever thought you might just have obsessive compulsive disorder? I'm diagnosed with it. Do you think it’s rude to text someone else while on a date? YEAH. What is the funniest movie you’ve ever seen? White Chicks never fails to get me. Has one of your websites ever quit operating or shut down? Were you sad? Recently the site I used to upload large .gifs I needed to use online shut down & I'm still mega tilted. There's probably others. Who is the person you talk to the most in your house? I only live with my mom. Is there a television show out there that you never miss? No. What movie have you seen too many times to be healthy? Ha ha, The Lion King I & 2 and Finding Nemo. What is your biggest responsibility in your household? Take care of my pets. How cold did it get where you live, last winter? Idr. Very, for NC anyway. Do you ever wonder what your exes are doing? I only ever wonder about Jason. Have you ever been caught in a huge lie with your parents? Never told a biggie lie to 'em. Ever ride in a limo? When did you last do so? No. Are you sober at the time being? Yeah. Have you ever lied to someone & said they could sing when they couldn’t? Possibly? Are you more tolerant of hot or cold weather? Describe a time when you were extremely cold? Describe a time when you were extremely over-heated? I handle the cold far, FAR better. I physically cannot last very long in like, even 80 degrees. The coldest I've probably ever been was when Sara and I were walking once up at her house and it was really windy. I think the absolute most over-heated I've been was when I was taking bridal shots of my sister's friend outside in the summer for a long long time. I was nearly to the point of tears and was absolutely soaked in sweat. When we got back in the car, I literally finished at least three water bottles in a very short period of time. I think I even downed half of another. What was something weird that you did as a child? Did anyone make fun of you for it? Were there any other children you knew who did the same thing? I actually created this trend in elementary school of digging tunnels in the sandbox with my hands because I wanted to feel like a meerkat, lol. No one made fun of me, I think? And as stated it kinda became a thing, so yeah, there were others. What has been the hardest thing about growing up? What was the easiest thing about it? Was there ever a time when you wanted to stay young forever? Was there ever a time when you wished that you could be older? Accepting my mental illnesses was by far the hardest. Easiest, uh... idk. Enjoying more freedom? There was definitely a time I wanted to be a kid forever; I remember I criiiied when I got my period for the first time because I didn't feel like one anymore. Simultaneously, there were certainly times I wanted to be older. Who was the last person you yelled at? Do you often yell at this person? Are you on good terms with them again, or are you still upset with them? I practically roared at Mom for pulling the rudest shit on me like a month or so back. I definitely don't yell at her a lot. We're on good terms now, yeah. If you work, do you get along with your coworkers? Which one of them have you known the longest? Is your current place of work somewhere that you plan to stay for a long time? Sadly no, so these questions are N/A. Name three items that have much sentimental value to you. Who gave you these items, and for what occasion? Do you ever have a harder time throwing away things that people have given you? My pebble from Holly Hill, my childhood plush moose Brownie that I got in Ohio, and the stuffed meerkat Jason gave me. It's not really because of it being from him, but rather because it comforted me deeply after the break-up. The little guy is so worn from all the love I gave it. I do have a hard time getting rid of things people give me. Who do you speak with more often: your online friends, or those that you see face-to-face? Of which type of friend do you have more? Which of those friendships do you value the most? Online to all three questions. Are you often misunderstood, or do you think that people can get where you are coming from pretty well? Do you think that you have a good ability to understand others? If yes, explain? Eh, idk, really. I feel like I don't communicate how I feel well enough, but I think people understand me decently. Most, anyway. I know I'm pretty good and relating to people. When was the last time that you had a headache? What did you do, if anything, to help it feel better? Which is worse for you: headaches or stomach aches? As previously mentioned, last night. I took medicine, but it was sleep that actually helped. AND I CANNOT DEAL WITH STOMACH ACHES. Gimme a headache over that shit any day. Have you ever had a crush on someone you met online? If yes, what happened between you and that person? Do you think that online relationships are legitimate relationships? Yes, and we're dating now lol. And of course I do!! Out of all of your past friendships and romantic relationships, which one was the worst? If that person were to show up at your place, would you be willing to talk to them? Friendship: Colleen. No, I wouldn't talk to her. Romantic: Tyler, but I mean sure, I'd talk to him. Well, Jason was the traumatic one, but the *relationship*, on my end, was a fairytale. It was the breakup that was... yeah, y'all know. Yeah, I'd be willing to talk to him, but quite honestly I'd probably end up collapsing into a sobbing heap because yeah PTSD. If any, how many friends have you made in the past year? How many have you lost? Is making friends something at which you are good, or does it take you awhile to form friendships? I've made a couple friends online, and I lost none, I think anyway. I can be someone's friend very easily, but it's the trust that really takes a while. If you are 18 or older, did reaching your 18th birthday make you feel like you were an adult? If not, what moment (or moments) made you feel like you were finally maturing? I don't remember, honestly. As a kid, did your parents force you to eat everything on your plate? If you had them, how did you feel about family meal times? If you were to have children, would you have structured meals with them? Well, Mom tried, but my picky ass usually won, lol. Some days I miss family dinners, other days I'm glad to do my own thing. If I were to have kids, I'd probably want to have family dinners, really. What was the last new thing that you tried? What is something you did a long time ago that you might like to do again? I don't know. I don't try new things often. From my past... I dunno. It's too late to think of all this stuff. What is your least favorite part about going to the doctor? What about going to the dentist? Which of those people would you rather see? THE GODDAMN WAIT. My dentist is usually pretty quick, so that's not typically a problem there. Instead, I fucking hate when I have to get x-rays done because I have a very small mouth, and the things they stick in your cheeks to bite down on are always way too big for me. I have to use a size down from adults. Do you ever take care of anyone younger than you (ie. babysitting, watching a younger sibling, etc)? Do you like doing this, or does it get to be a hassle? No, and hell no.

for @son-of-rome​ ♥

warnings for language and mention of physical injury

a sequel to this prompt here with Jason and Piper in a meet cute with a drunken night and a dog

I haven't written anything in 84 years so please be kind

*

It’s another two weeks before he sees her again.

Three, Piper corrects, as she always does when they tell the story of how they met. Though Jason is not known for having an incredibly reliable memory, he distinctly remembers those long weeks between, remembers the days he thought of her and her smile and the inevitability of never seeing her again. It’s not like he has any real proof of her--nothing but her name--and he’s not about to be the idiot who stalks a stranger on the internet.

So: he lets it go, and gets on with his life, and it’s another three weeks before he sees her again. Like the first time, he is standing in the kitchen of his townhouse, holding onto the counter, barely awake. He’s coming off the longest shift of his life and he can’t decide if he wants to pass out on the couch or drag himself upstairs to his bed.

The cold counter feels nice beneath his hands.

The sunset on the other side of the sliding glass door is pretty. Orange and gold and purple, fluffy wisps of clouds, shining rays of light.

His bed is so, so far away.

It takes a moment for him to realize that Libby is barking at something. He blinks, and the sunset has shifted, and his dog is in the backyard, barking.

Jason sighs and goes to open the glass door. He hopes Hedge doesn’t come over the fence yelling again. The guy’s a new parent, sure, and though Jason can’t fully empathize about a brand new baby in the house, he gets it. His dog should be a little quieter. But she’s a good girl, and she doesn’t really bark at much, not unless--

There’s a girl sitting in his backyard.

It’s like a punch-quick flash of deja vu, like the endless dreams and flashbacks that his therapist tells him are Okay. This one, though--this one doesn’t feel quite as dangerous. There’s a girl sitting in his backyard, and the little details are a little different--a tye-dyed tank top, camo cargo shorts, and worn sneakers. Her hair in a braid down her back. A bandage wrapped around her shin.

Some things remain the same: her warm brown skin, and the pink cast around her arm, and her laugh, loud and joyful.

Libby is shaking, her tail is wagging so hard. Piper McLean has her hands buried in the dog’s long, golden fur, and gives in completely to Libby’s aggressive affection, leans back in the grass and lets the dog lick her all over her face.

“Excuse me,” Jason calls, walking down the deck stairs.

Excuse me, Piper says, putting a hand up, interrupting his retelling. She’s sitting on the kitchen counter and has a greasy slice of pizza resting precariously on her bare thigh. Your first words were nothing near intelligible. I distinctly recall you saying, ‘Uhhh,’ for at least a few seconds. Tell it true, Grace.

Who is telling this story?

We are. Together. Go!

“Uhhh,” Jason says, walking down the deck stairs.

Libby detaches herself from Piper and hurries to him, tongue out, still wriggling. She takes an excited circle around Jason when he reaches the grass--look who came back, look who’s here!--before returning to Piper, feet tapping, tail wagging.

Piper sits cross-legged in the grass. She waves with her casted arm. “Hi.”

“Uh, hi,” Jason says. He doesn’t know what to do with his hands. “Do I need to take my shoes off?”

“No,” Piper laughs. “Totally sober this time. No danger of ralphing on your feet. Sorry about that, by the way.”

“I only have minimal nightmares about it.”

“Understandable.”

Libby settles at Piper’s side and looks between the two of them.

Miraculously, Hedge does not come out to holler at them from next door.

Jason stuffs his hands into the pockets of his sweats. He takes a breath. He doesn’t want to ask, doesn’t want to jinx it, lest she completely vanish, but: “What are you doing here?”

“I, uh,” Piper says. Jason has known her for all of half a conscious hour in total, but he recognizes immediately the bashful look on her face. She reaches back and pulls out a small bouquet of wrapped flowers he hadn’t yet noticed. Small and white and yellow and wrapped in blue cellophane. “I wanted to say sorry? For barfing on your feet, and crashing on your couch. You took care of me and you were a good guy and you didn’t have to be.”

“Uh, yeah, I did,” Jason says automatically. After a stalled moment--because she’s here, and she’s brought him flowers, and he doesn’t think anybody’s ever given him flowers?--he takes them, surprised, touched. “Thank you?”

“Is that a question?”

“No. Thank you.”

She smiles. “You’re welcome.”

The cellophaned flowers crinkle in Jason’s grip. He smells them, because they’re pretty and because why not, Piper is looking at him and he wants to be appreciative, is appreciative. He buries his face in the flowers and breathes in and tries not to be awkward, tries to think about what to say, what to ask, what not to ask--

“I’m a skater,” Piper blurts.

Jason unearths himself from his bouquet. “What?”

“I skate.” She waves her pink casted arm in the air. Jason thinks he sees a dick drawn in the space by her wrist. The whole thing is kind of a mess--scribbles, and drawings, and the rough wear and tear of plaster that she picks at. “Professionally? That’s not really a question. I, uh. I’ve been on TV. That’s a thing.”

“Wow.” He sits down a few feet across from her and motions to her arm. “What happened there?”

“This? Just landed wrong. Like, real bad.”

“No kidding,” Jason laughs.

“I have a video! It’s pretty gnarly.”

She pulls out her phone and scoots a little closer. She has to press hard on the spiderweb-cracked screen to get it to register her touch. “So, there was a meet a few weeks ago, super casual, and there’s this ramp I’ve taken a hundred times before. We call it the Empire.”

“But?”

“No but. Same ramp, same tricks. Just went down wrong, I guess.”

The screen focuses in on what looks like a huge warehouse. Several brand logos hang on the metal walls. Indistinct music plays in the background. The view shakes, is briefly obscured by a bandaged finger, and then turns; under high, bright lights, Piper frowns at the camera and makes a playful fist. She adjusts her helmet and looks down at the intimidatingly tall ramp. The wood gleams, falls into a vertical drop.

Jason feels exhilarated just looking at it. No wonder they call it the Empire.

The person holding the camera laughs, and a man says, “You gonna go or what?”

“Cool your jets, Jackson. I gotta make sure everybody’s paying attention.” She looks across the half-pipe to a shorter guy with wild curly hair, sitting on the opposite platform and fiddling with an old, hefty camera. “You almost ready?”

The guy flicks her off without looking.

“He’s ready,” Piper says, grinning. She nods and faces the ramp.

Jason feels himself holding his breath. He sees the results of this kind of thing every day, the broken bones and the bruises and the blood, but it’s never easy, watching it about to happen--watching Piper smile, and knowing what comes next.

I was alright, Piper says, now, taking a bite of her pizza. There’s a triangle of grease left on her skin, and he smacks a napkin down on her thigh. You knew I was alright.

Jason shrugs. Even years later, even in the retelling, he still feels nauseous. It still sucked, watching it. I had a big crush on you. I still have a big crush on you.

Aw, babe. That’s cute, but I wasn’t gonna let the Empire keep me down.

A hand reaches out from behind the camera and knocks on Piper’s helmet, a swift one-two, and she raises her shoulders, lets them fall, does it again, hyping herself up.

Someone shouts.

The camera follows her as she tips forward.

Piper flies. Down, and down, and down, and then back up. She does nothing special at first, a smooth turn at the apex, another trip down the ramp. Her face is focused. She pulls her board out from under her feet on her second apex, balances a hand on the edge of the ramp, is suspended upside-down, and, for the briefest second, still.

“Alright,” Piper says, leaning into his side. She brings the phone up closer to their faces, pointing to the screen. Her nails are a vivid, chipped yellow. He looks up to see her frowning in real time. It’s just as scary and endearing as it is on screen. “Look, you’re going to miss it! It’s right after this 360 Pegasus.”

“Is that English?”

She laughs, but she also puts a hand on his face and pushes his gaze back to her phone. The Piper on screen is at the end of some crazy-complicated acrobatics, twisting midair, coming back down, and it happens too quick for him to register--he doesn’t see what goes wrong, only sees Piper’s board shoot out from beneath her feet, sees her put her hands out to break her descent--

The recording shakes, blurs. Whoever’s holding the phone--Jackson, he thinks--must’ve slid down the ramp to get to her. When the view clears, Piper’s lying fetal on the wooden ramp, cradling her arm. “Shit,” she groans. “Shit, shit, shit.”

The curly-haired guy kneels next to her. “Let me see. Pipes, let me see.”

“It’s fine, I’m fine,” she says, her voice shaking. She sits up, and Jackson, behind the camera, gasps. Her forearm is almost bent in half. “I’m fine?”

Jason looks away from her phone. He’s seen this one before.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to squick you out,” Piper says. She locks the screen. The sound cuts off. “That wasn’t cool. I should’ve asked if you were okay with, like, gory stuff--”

“I’m a paramedic,” Jason blurts.

“Oh! That’s cool?”

“Is that a question?”

“Ugh, you’re awful.” She waves her cast in the air. “So I guess you see worse, huh?”

“Doesn’t mean I want to see you like that.”

Piper blinks, and Jason feels his face go red. He rubs at his eyes. “Sorry, I’m tired, and--”

“Do you want to go for ice cream?”

“Huh?”

“It’s a nice evening, and I want to hang out with your dog. There’s a little ice cream shop a few blocks that way that we could walk to,” Piper says, nodding back over her shoulder. She squishes Libby’s face between her hands, and Jason swears that her cheeks are a little pink, too, as she avoids looking at him. “How’s about it, Libs? You wanna go get some ice cream? Huh, sweet girl? You think you can talk your dad into it?”

Like she’d have to. Jason scratches Libby’s belly. “We’d love to.”

And Piper’s smile is as radiant as the sunset. “Me too.”

Carry That Weight

The hardest part, she soon realized, was finding the moment to say it. It wasn’t like she and Midoriya were close or anything, though they weren’t strangers like they had been before. But he had his friends, and she had hers, and even in the occasional moments they’d had together alone, it’s not like she could just say, “Hey, can I talk to you about my gender problems?”

Jirou’s brain has been abuzz constantly since that day. Sure, she had heard of being transgender before, but it always seemed so distant from her own reality. And yes, she had always hated her chest a bit more than what seemed to be normal, but she’d always brushed it aside, chalking it up to jealousy over other girls for her small chest. It also explained why she stared at the girls in her middle school too much. It was just jealousy, right?

Looking back, she felt so stupid at how long it took her to realize she was gay. She wore her lesbian identity with pride now, especially with the purple pervert out of the way. She had everything she’d wanted in middle school. Accepting friends, a massive crush on a certain class rep that may or may not be requited, and a place where, if that crush ever went anywhere, she wouldn’t have to live in fear. She thought she’d be happy.

But there was a tiny itch in the back of her brain, one that latched on and refused to let go. Some days, it was barely there, and she thought she was finally past the confusion that had set in, but other days, every “she” and “girls” and brush of her uniform against her knees left her screaming in her head, and she was almost certain she was developing insomnia with the way she put off going back to the girls’ dorm some nights.

Tonight was one of those nights. She had resigned herself to another day of coffee-powered torture, and plugged herself into her phone, hoping some music would calm her nerves enough to let her zone out. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you looked at it), she wasn’t alone that sleepless night.

Midoriya was sitting inches from the TV, notebook in hand, furiously writing notes on a hero who had made their debut that day. Their power was something having to do with sand. Turning into it? Controlling it? She hadn’t been paying attention, but she heard Midoriya’s pencil furiously scratching down notes, determined to put all his thoughts on the paper. She realized he had been sitting there for several minutes, unmoving except for his hand and the occasional glance at the screen. It was a bit unnerving, honestly.

“Might want to get back a bit. Sitting too close can hurt your eyes, you know,” She called out.

Midoriya shouted, leaping back from his spot at the TV. “AH! Oh, uh, hey, Jirou. Sorry, kinda forgot there was someone else here.”

“It got you away from the TV, at least.” She absentmindedly patted the couch next to her. “Want a seat? It’s probably more comfortable than the floor.”

“Oh, yeah, thanks.” Midoriya sat next to her, and she could feel his anxiety shooting through the air.

“Dude, you don’t have to be so nervous. It’s just a couch, it’s not gonna bite you.”

“Ha ha, yeah,” he laughed halfheartedly, but she could tell there was something else he wanted to say. “Say, Jirou, could I ask you something?”

She panicked, a little bit. She hoped he hadn’t caught her discomfort (dysphoria? She wasn’t sure if she could call it that). If it had really been that obvious, she’d flip, but since he was trans, he may have been more in tune with the signs. She prayed it was that latter, and braced herself for his question.

“Could you give me some music recommendations?”

“Huh?” She was not expecting that.

“I mean, it’s no surprise you the most musically inclined in the class, and you listen to music on your phone a lot, so I thought you’d be able to help.”

“Yeah, sure,” She replied. “So, what kind of music do you listen to?”

“Uhhh… none?”

Jirou’s jaw dropped. “Wait. You’re telling me you’ve gone all sixteen years of your life without ever hearing a single song?”

“No, not like that! Of course I’ve heard music! I just mean, I’ve never really gone out of my way to listen to any. I’ve just heard whatever others have been playing. So, I guess I just wanna find music I actually want to listen to. I just have no idea where to start.”

Jirou’s heart stopped hammering against her chest. She understood people led different lives, but life without music? She couldn’t imagine. “Okay. Do you have any idea of what kind of music you might like? Genre, instrument, hell, even language. Just give me a jumping off point.”

Midoriya thought for a long moment. “I guess… I like guitar, electric especially. And I think there’s a band who I’ve heard a few songs from and enjoyed. They were British, and listening to English music is fun, especially when it helps you learn the language. They had something to do with bugs…”

“The Beatles?”

“Yeah, those guys! Could you show me their music?”

“Which kind? Their early, cheesy love songs? Their mellow ballads? Their psychedelic sitar stuff?”

Midoriya shrugged. “I don’t know. All of it? There can’t be that much, they weren’t together for very long.”

Jirou stared, then smiled a devious grin. “Honey, you’ve got a big storm coming.”

—–

“What the fuck was that?!?”

“I know, right? You think you’re prepared, but nothing can prepare you for Revolution 9.”

“God, I’m going to hear that chanting in my nightmares for weeks.” Midoriya shuddered. Suddenly, something fell over on a table behind them, and he turned around. “Hello?”

A quiet voice whispered in his ear. “Number nine, number ni-“

“Ahhhh!!! Jirou!” He pushed her away, and she fell over laughing. “God, I can’t believe that scared me. I’ve fought villains, for God’s sake!”

“Even veterans like me get the chills, my student. Now, kneel.” Midoriya stared at her with a confused look. “I said, kneel!”

“Fine, fine,” he gave her a questioning grin before relenting, getting off the couch and kneeling before her, his head bowed. She grabbed her phone and began to play Hey Jude, then held it out like a sword. “By the powers vested in me by our lords and saviors Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, and Starr, May they rest in peace, I now dub thee a true Beatles fan.” She tapped his shoulders and head with her phone before they both fell over, trying to muffle their laughs from their sleeping classmates, who must have been cursing their 2 AM rampage.

Midoriya wipes tears from his eyes, catching his breath as he climbed back on the couch. “God, Jirou, I wish we’d hung out before this. I never knew you had such a great sense of humor!”

“I reserve it for friends. Everyone else gets my leftover dredges of sarcasm.”

“Wow, I used to be so afraid to talk to girls like you. Did you know I was proud of myself for just mumbling to Uraraka on the day of the entrance exams?”

“Ha ha, wow…” She tried to feign laughter, but being called “girl” again just sucked all the energy out of her. It wasn’t even his fault, and still she just felt empty. What was wrong with her head?

“Is something wrong, Jirou?” Shit. He’s picked up on it.

“Ah, it’s nothing,” she tried to steer the focus away from her discomfort. “I’ve just been thinking about stuff.”

“Wait. Is it because I said girl?” Why did he have to be so damn perceptive? “Oh my god, Jirou, are you trans?” Now what was she gonna say? “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know, so you have another name, well I call you your last name, but still should I-“

“Stop!” Her world was spinning, and she couldn’t control her voice. Everything was out of her control. She felt herself falling, falling. She had to grab something. “No, I’m not a boy.” She dangled from a small ledge by one hand.  “But I don’t know if I’m a girl either.” Two hands up. “I don’t want to bother you, I don’t want you to feel like you’re the class’s “trans messiah”, here to teach us all of the complexities of gender or anything.” Shit. Her sarcasm made her fingers slip, she was about to plummet into oblivion.

Suddenly, a hand caught her, just as she was about to fall. She looked into a pair of startling green eyes. “I’m here if you want to talk, Jirou. I don’t mind.”

“Okay…” Jirou was hesitant. She wasn’t used to sharing things so openly. She was barely at this point with Yaoyorozu, her best friend, yet Midoriya gave off this vibe that just made her feel safe. He really was meant to be a hero. “I’m not really sure what it is. I’ve never really liked my chest, but I always just assumed it was because I was jealous of all the other girls in my school having bigger ones than me. I always stared at them too long, but I brushed it off as jealousy, you know? Turns I was just very, very gay, and there were a lot of really pretty girls at my school.” Midoriya laughed, and Jirou felt a bit more tension lift from her shoulders. She smiled. “But after what happened with… him, I haven’t stopped thinking about it. Some days it’s barely there, and other days being called a girl makes me want to tear my hair out and scream.” She suddenly became quiet. “That’s why I’m out here tonight. I couldn’t bear to go back to the “girls” dorm, when it felt so wrong. I just don’t know what I am anymore.”

They sat in silence, Midoriya processing everything she had said. Jirou was about to make a break for it, resigning herself to a night of discomfort, when Midoriya asked, “Jirou, have you ever heard of being ‘nonbinary’?”

“No, should I have?”

“No, no, that’s not what I meant. Being nonbinary means you aren’t a boy or a girl. Or, at least fully.”

Jirou stared in disbelief. “Wait a second. I don’t have to pick one?”

“Of course not, no more than I have to be the gender I was assigned. Here, this is a good starting point.” He hands her his phone, open to a webpage titled “Beyond the Binary”. He watched her scroll through the page in awe. After a few minutes, she handed it back to him.

“Holy shit,” she said. “I think I’m nonbinary.”

“Congrats!”

“Wait, can I be nonbinary and a lesbian? I’m still female-aligned, I think, so am I misusing it? Or does it not count cause I’m not really a girl? Do I have to find a new name for that, too?” Jirou had found so much comfort in her lesbian identity. She wasn’t sure she could give that up. Luckily, it didn’t seem she had to.

“No, you can be nonbinary and a lesbian, if that’s what makes you feel comfortable. Do you want me to keep using she pronouns? Or something else?”

Jirou thought for a moment. “I don’t mind she and her, I don’t think, but… could you try they/them as well?”

“Sure! Here, I’ll try them out. This is my friend Jirou, they’re in my class at school and they made me listen to some really fucked up music tonight.”

“Shut up!” They shoved him off the couch, laughing until their bellies ached, and they realized, for the first time in a long time, they were content with who they were. Who they are. They were nonbinary, they were gay, they were a hero in training, and they were laughing their head off with a new-found friend at 2 AM. Everything finally felt right.