[ Alright, first off, this is my first fanfic that I'm putting on this website, even though I've had this account for ages. Why? Because I'm shy. Very very very shy. Two? You're more than welcome to call me Gwen in comments or in messages. Three~ I adore Ace and Julius as a couple more then what should be healthy. I'm sorry, but I do~ If this offends anyone, please don't read. Or at the very least, don't be rude.

Note: I do not own the characters nor the series. As most people don't~ Nor do I claim to own any of them.

However, this is an School AU, mostly because I needed to do something for my Creative Writing class, and I needed to do a dialog assignment. With that established, I decided writing a small story for the two of them, and maybe a few of my other favorite couples would be fun. Guess you'll find out who's all in it by the end, neh? No worries, I don't plan to add in any OC's, aside from maybe NPC's that are necessary for an AU like this one. Enjoy~! ]

As You Are

"Is it true? What the rumors say?"

The annoyance in his eyes would be impossible to miss. "I don't know." He replies in a hiss, without bothering to honor the other by looking him in the eyes. "I don't hear the rumors about me."

The other laughs a little, and begins grinning. I didn't mean to amuse him. Julius thinks to himself, watching the boy who'd approached him. They'd never spoken before. Julius didn't even know the boy from around the school. But he defiantly looked like he was about the same age as him. . .

"Your Julius Monrey, right? I didn't get the wrong guy, did I?" His voice was honest, bright even, which oddly matched his eyes. Lively and locked on Julius' own, when he bothered to glance up.

". . . and you are?" Julius doesn't outright respond, but he crosses his arms over his chest, looking at him with dark eyes over the rims of his glasses.

"Ace!"

"Just Ace?"

"What else would you call me?"

Julius frowns and shakes his head. This boy was clearly just messing with him. It didn't matter if they were in the same grade, if all this boy was going to do was tease him like the others. With that, he pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose and looks back down at the desk he was located at. Back to his book that he'd been reading, a recent prequel to Frankenstein, called This Dark Endeavor.

Ace doesn't leave though.

"So are the rumors true?"

Julius doesn't bother to respond, just locking his eyes on the text where he'd left off. He was still curious to see what would become of Victor and his brother Konrad. It mattered very little that he had company right now, especially sense it wasn't like he'd ever asked for it.

"About you coming to this school because your parents were killed?" Julius remains quiet, and Ace continues as Julius flips the page. "Or about the fact that the killer was never found? Some people even say your blind!" Julius rolls his eyes, but glances back at him for a second. Ace grins, and Julius curses silently. Had he just encouraged him? "Well, that last one was a lie. You wouldn't be reading if you were blind! But, I wanted to test you!" His voice was very sing-song, and Julius goes back to his book.

But, despite himself, he says, "Oh, do go on, I'm very curious." A lie. A very very very obvious lie.

Ace continues, "I also heard that you have always been an only child. That you hate it here. That you have no friend. . ." He stops, as though trying to remember more. But, he grins a little and laughs some, as though he forgot an obvious one. "Oh! And everyone says that your gay, because of your hair. It is really long and pretty though, if that makes you feel better."

Somehow this boys honest grin with that last statement just angers Julius, and the book snaps closed as Julius pushes himself into a standing position. Ignoring the brush of his long, dark, hair as it falls over his shoulder and lightly wisps against his hands. Of course. Julius did know that one. He got teased for it all the time. That was why he didn't bother talking to people anymore, usually. If they were just going to make assumptions, annoying ones at that, it wasn't really worth his time or effort to try to talk to them.

"Oh! Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean to offend you!" Ace says, putting a hand on Julius' shoulder, trying to keep him from walking away. "I didn't mean it to be rude! I like your hair, really!"

Him liking his hair wasn't what the long-haired teen was concerned about. "Just go back to your friends, and tell them your little game isn't amusing." Julius hisses back, before jerking away from him. Making Ace release his shoulder as he tries to walk away.

"I wasn't put up to this." Ace says quietly, though, as Julius was about to make his way to the door. His back to the other. "I mean it. I'm just. . . curious, is all. I hear all these things all the time, from everyone around here, and I just don't want to make assumptions."

Aren't you already? Julius couldn't help the snide remark in his mind. He was so sick of people trying to judge him and speak to him, that he was just about ready to up and quit this school. He didn't need to be here anymore. He was seventeen now, and legally an adult. He didn't need to be watched anymore, even if his therapist said he wasn't quiet functioning at a normal level yet. Most people who saw what he did didn't, after all. They always are. And you have to be judging me by some standard, and thus, assumptions. Or you wouldn't have had to give it so much damned thought that you had to seek me out. Julius usually wasn't this snarky. Not even in his head. But he was sick of this already.

". . . please don't be mad." Ace honestly looked a little hurt. The brunette had an air about him, Julius would give him that much, that gave him an almost child-like innocence to his bright eyes, despite his age. "I just wanted to ask. You don't have to answer, if you really don't want to. But please, don't be mad."

Julius frowns a little and sighs, without ever turning around. "Your name is Ace? What class are you from?"

"I'm from class 2-D." Ace answers. Without looking, Julius could tell he was grinning again. He could hear it in his town. "We're in the same class, actually. I sit about 2 seats behind you and one to the left!"

That was almost creepy. "And you never thought to talk to me before this?" To be honest, Julius was confused on how he'd missed him before. The boy had a bright aura about him, and he seemed almost pleasant. Despite how blunt he was, he didn't seem bad. Why hadn't he noticed him before?

"Well," Ace pauses, "I thought about it many times, actually. I just. . . gave up each one of the times. My friends encouraged me though, and said I should finally try!" He laughs a little, grinning from ear to ear, as Julius notes quickly as he finally turns to look at him again. "But, now that I've officially insulted you once, I'm not so sure it was my best idea. . ."

"I'm not insulted." Julius replies with a huff and a sigh, before rolling his eyes. "Well. . . Mostly."

"Well, can I make it up to you then?" Ace says, coming closer to the long-haired man. His eyes shining with amusement. "Let me walk you home! Or take you out to get a drink at a coffee shop, or something. Please?"

"You almost sound like you're asking me out on a date." Julius is quick to tell him, looking somewhat annoyed. If this boy was hinting at those gay jokes he heard every day, he was going to be upset.

Ace just winks.

[ I plan to add more chapters, depending on how many people are interested. I don't expect this to be a very well liked story, after all, it's my first on here... but I do think it'll be fun to finish, if I get the motivation. Which I'm more likely to have if people let me know that what I'm writing isn't shit. :'D Hope you all liked the first installment of "As You Are." :'D ]