The next few days were pretty simple. Classes had started but weren’t getting super hard yet. David was giving the gang rides home, as usual, Davi was part of them more and more frequently which David was also a fan of. Today he didn’t even seem surprised when David once again said yes when he asked for a ride home. Maybe soon he’d realize he didn’t need to ask anymore. Marcus was talking about something that had happened in math class that day, he and Davi both laughed at the story. David stared at Davi for a bit and just listened to his laugh, it was a soft sound, a bit of a surprise given his baritone voice but David liked it a lot. He blinked a bit and turned his attention back to driving out of the parking lot,

“Do we want to hang out at my place today?” David asked the car while they were stuck behind one of the buses which seemed to be full of cheerleaders. Was there a game today? David didn’t super pay attention to sports unless it was the girl’s track team, for Shirley.

“Shirley and I have plans, but next time!” Marcus said.

“Looks like it’s just you and me this time, Davey,” Davi elbowed him lightly.

“Oh no, what a nightmare,” David laughed. Truthfully, he didn’t mind getting to hang out with just Davi this time around. He was really cool but after that first day, the two of them hadn’t really had time to be alone. Shirley and Marcus got classes and lunch with the guy every day he needed to catch up! Shirley talked a bit about how she wouldn’t be riding back with them all for a bit, between track practice starting up again and some BBYO stuff she was gonna be pretty busy soon.

“My dad shouldn’t be home yet but he, he can be a lot to handle when you first meet him just a warning.”

Davi nodded, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

David unlocked the door and stepped to the side so Davi could come in behind him. He toed out of his shoes, Davi seemed to notice and did the same. His socks were black with red spiderweb patterns on them.

“Damn even your socks are edgy?”

“I have an aesthetic and I am committing to it,” Davi deadpanned.

Eunice walked out of the kitchen, she had a loose yellow sweater drooping off of one of her shoulders and black leggings on. Her hair was down and she wasn’t wearing any makeup,

“Oh hello there, you must be Davi, right? David has mentioned you,” She said as she approached the two of them still clogging up the entryway.

“I hope mostly good things,” Davi smiled a little self-consciously,

“Only good things. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, I’m Eunice, his mother,” She held her hand out. Davi shook it, “Oh! I like your nails, what color is that?”

“It’s uh…called violet seductress,” Davi blushed.

Eunice laughed softly, “Of course it is, well I think it suits your style very well.”

David figured Davi could use a rescue, “We’re gonna head up to my room for a bit if that’s alright mom? Dad home yet?”

Eunice let go of Davi’s hand, “Oh of course dear I’ll let you two have fun. I’ll be right down here if you need anything. And no, your father is still in the office, you know board meetings like to drag on and on,”

David nodded before he led Davi up the floating staircase to the second floor. Davi slowed down a bit to look at one of the art pieces on the wall.

“This is a Monet right?”

“Not a real one, but yeah I think so.”

Davi nodded, “Nice.”

“Shouldn’t be surprised you knew that, you’re an artsy guy.”

“I mean my mom is quite literally an art history professor, I never had a chance to not be,” He laughed a bit as he followed David up the rest of the stairs. David opened the door to his room and let Davi enter first. His room was nothing particularly special. The floor was the same black “not marble but looks enough like it to impress people” that ran throughout the house, and the walls were a pale greyish blue. His bed was pressed against one wall and there was a TV on the other side with his Xbox on the floor.

“You have your own TV?” Davi asked as he placed his backpack on the floor.

“Oh yeah, got it as a Confirmation present,” David said as he closed the door behind them. The rule was the door only had to be open if Shirley was in there, so David elected to get a bit more privacy from his mother’s prying ears and eyes.

“Damn, my parents don’t even have a TV in their room,” Davi nodded, impressed.

“Yeah, it’s pretty chill.” David sat on the bed, “Want to watch something? Or we can play video games, whatever.”

Davi walked over and sat next to him, their thighs nearly touching from the proximity,

“I’m fine playing some video games.”

David inched a bit away from Davi before getting up, “Alright cool. Sit tight while I get things set up.”

It didn’t take too long to set up the Xbox, he tossed a controller Davi’s way and explained how to play the off-brand racing game he’d found in the bargain bin of a GameStop a few years ago. He sat down next to Davi again and the two of them started playing,

“So…it’s been a few weeks. Still liking public school?”

“Mostly yeah, you and the others are my only friends but I’ve always been a bit more of an introvert so I think that suits me just fine.”

David nodded, “Yeah most of the kids at our school kinda suck. Glad we found you though.”

“You mean glad you found me.”

“I mean yeah but like, you have a bunch of classes and lunch with the others, they would’ve found you at some point.”

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“But they didn’t, you did.” Davi pointed out as he cut David off in the game.

“Oh, you dirty little snake!”

“Read it and weep bitch!” Davi elbowed David in the side. Without looking away from the screen David shoved Davi’s face away from his own,

“I changed my mind I should have let you get detention on your first day.”

Davi laughed, that same lovely airy sound from the car. Laughter was just a natural expression of warmth right? It was no wonder he liked hearing Davi’s as much as he did. The guy was his friend, there was nothing weird about it. He was winning the race again. He just realized Davi’s car wasn’t even moving, he glanced at Davi out of the corner of his eye. Davi was just staring at him starry-eyed,

“Mind if I pull out my camera for a second? You can keep playing.”

“Uh sure, what for?”

“Getting used to using digital for one and also you, I dunno. You looked really focused? Just uh, pretend the camera isn’t even there.”

“That sounded a little gay dude,” David teased,

“If it was gay I’d ask you to take your shirt off, dumbass.”

He shook his head, “Knock yourself out man, but you’re kinda weird.”

Davi shrugged, “Yeah, but you’re still friends with me so I think I’m in good company.” He put the camera to his eyes. He must have had flash off, there was no blinding light paired with the click.

“Oh, I’m so not used to being able to see my pictures this fast,” Davi said as he looked at his camera.

“You sound like an old man,” David snorted,

Davi turned his chest away from him, holding the camera close, “Just for that I’m not gonna show you it!”

“What not gonna compensate your model for his hard work?”

Davide rolled his eyes, “Only if you promise to actually model for me once we get to the portrait unit.”

“Wait that’s like, a real thing?”

“Yes and I’m sure you and Marcus will be pestered by Shirley and I endlessly for our homework needs.”

“I kinda figured you and Shirley would just be taking pictures of each other,” He shrugged. It only made sense, if David was in a photography class with a hot girl he would super ask her to be a model for all his shit. Hell Shirley had fucking abs even. He tried not to think too hard about what an easy way that would be to hit on someone. Especially given how much they both seemed to like each other already.

“I mean we will, but I’m sure Mrs. Perez would prefer we diversified our portfolio as she likes to say.”

“Yeah man, I’ll totally be eye candy for you,” He winked.

Davi blushed a bit, “It’s a portrait you absolute weirdo.”

“We’ve already established you’re the weird one of the two of us, I am like. The most normal dude you’ll ever meet.”

“Hmm, gross!”

“God, you’re so rude,” David said with a crooked grin.

Davi laughed. His phone started to ring, “Hold on, it’s my mom.”

David paused the game. Davi spoke in such a relaxed manner with his mom that felt so foreign to David. It wasn’t a long conversation. He ended it with a brief “I love you too” and put his phone back in his pocket.

“Mom is heading home from work and was going to swing by and get me. I’m gonna head downstairs and get my shoes on if that’s alright?”

“It’s fine dude what am I gonna do, make you leave without them?”

“Touche.”

Davi got his stuff back together and headed downstairs. David followed after him.

“Are you staying for dinner, Davi?”

Davi shook his head, “No ma’am, my mom’s last lecture just ended so she’s going to swing by and get me. Thank you for the offer though!”

“Of course, some other time then? David’s friends are always welcome here.”

“I really appreciate that.”

The front door opened. The three of them looked to see who was coming. David figured it might be Davi’s mom. It was his father. He looked exhausted, his briefcase thudded against the floor as he crossed the threshold.

“Who is this?” Armand narrowed his eyes as he nodded at Davi quizzically,

“I’m uh, Davide? One of David’s friends?”

Armand took in Davi’s appearance. God David could feel how much his dad was not into this, “The new kid huh? Not what I was expecting.”

Davi shifted his weight uncomfortably, “What were you expecting?”

“A boy, for starters.”

“Armand come on now. We lived through the eighties, it’s hardly the first time you’ve seen a punk kid,” Eunice rolled her eyes.

“I didn’t like it then either.”

“And just like then, it doesn’t matter what you like.”

Davi looked incredibly uncomfortable and David didn’t blame him. David put a hand on his shoulder.

“I think you look nice,” He whispered to him.

Davi looked at his phone, “Well my mom is here! Gotta get going!”

“See you tomorrow?” David asked with a small wave, he really hoped his dad didn’t just ruin this whole thing for him.

“Yeah, of course, Davey,” Davi nodded as he closed the door behind him and vanished. David smiled at the door for a little bit, just savoring the memory of Davi’s presence before his father’s gruff voice broke him out of it,

“I can’t believe you approve of that so-called style Eunice.”

Eunice shrugged, “Honestly? I don’t. But part of being a teenager is doing things adults don’t like. It’s perfectly natural, and you know what? If my biggest complaint about one of our son's friends is that his personal style isn’t my cup of tea I think that’s pretty good! He’s not on drugs or a bad influence or anything like that. So what if he has some piercings? He can always take them out when he’s older.”

“The style implies other things.”

“He likes obscure music, I don’t think that makes him a bad person…” David said.

Armand sighed, “David, don’t be dumb, that kid is obviously a fag.” He knew that was what his father had meant, he had just hoped he could avoid having to think about it for too long. He started to formulate a response when his mother saved him,

“Armand is that really appropriate?” She put her hands on her hips and gave dad the same disapproving look she gave David when he forgot to do his homework.

“If the shoe fits.”

“He’s a child,” Eunice pointed out.

David glanced at the two of them, they were so absorbed in their own argument they didn’t notice him slip upstairs. He sighed heavily as he made his way to the bathroom, just a little edge, that was all. He popped the cap off his mouthwash and took a swig. It burned a bit but he was mostly used to it. Didn’t change that it tasted terrible but whatever, he just needed something to cut through the fog forming downstairs and it was hardly a good time to risk stealing some of dad’s whiskey.