Len and Oliver had been best friends for years, since third grade. The two were nearly inseparable. They did almost everything together, and Oliver even helped Len get his first girlfriend, SeeU, in their freshman year.
Now they were sophomores in high school, and things felt... different. The two boys had only been friends for as long as they could remember. But now, they both felt something odd towards each other, but the other didn't know. It was hard to explain for the both of them.
To Len, though, the feeling was familiar and it scared him. It was the emotion he felt towards SeeU when they began dating. But... he couldn't feel that way about a boy. It wasn't right. It was wrong, so extremely wrong, but he just couldn't seem to rid his mind of the golden-eyed boy.
What Len didn't know what that he occupied Oliver's mind every hour of every day as well. It was driving him insane that he couldn't think of other things. He only saw Len's sunny yellow hair in its adorable ponytail, his powder blue eyes, and- no, stop it! He couldn't be thinking about a boy like this! It was... dirty. It felt dirty, but it felt right at the same time. It made Oliver sick, especially since Len had SeeU.
"Oliver!"
Hearing Ms. Megurine call his name harshly, he startled and looked up at her.
"Pay attention." She says, turning back to the chalkboard. Oliver's face flushed in embarrassment, as he had been thinking about Len once again. He let out a silent sigh, looking down at his notebook which was scribbled with variables and long equations. Oliver had always been a good student, but he couldn't always concentrate, especially in math. He only passed his math classes because Len would help him- there it was again! Always bringing Len into his thoughts.
For the next fifteen minutes, Oliver feigned paying attention to the teacher until the shrill ring of the bell brought him back to reality. He quickly gathered his things and left the classroom with his face stained pink because of his thoughts. It was 2:45, which meant that this was the last period of the day. He had study hall, where he did anything but study. His other, small group of upperclassmen friends were in the same class, and they did nothing but horse around all period. They never got in trouble for it, though. The teacher, Mrs. Sakine, was just as crazy herself.
First, there was IA. Her real name was Aria, but she hated her full name and insisted that IA was easier to say. She was the girl who had recruited Oliver to their group the previous year. With her being a junior then, Oliver was surprised that she would think he was interesting enough to be friends with. Later, he learned that IA was one to make a lot of friends because of her laid-back and careless demeanor.
Second was IA's girlfriend, Teto. She always wore her reddish-pink hair in two tornado-spiral pigtails, which earned her the nickname Tornado Head from IA. Oddly enough, she didn't mind the nickname. While she was a lot calmer than her girlfriend, she was still wild and extremely entertaining.
Then there was Piko, the only boy in the group besides Oliver. He was quite silent, always the one to be listening rather than speaking. Because of this, he was always listened to in the rare occasions when he did speak up. Though he was almost 18, he looked like he was still a middle-schooler, and was often picked on because of it.
Lastly, there was Gumi. She was terrifying. Oliver had talked to her only once, and mentioned another student by the name of Miku. Gumi had avoided talking to him afterwards, which still left him puzzled.
Oliver was the first to arrive to the study hall and sit at their table, like usual. It was always just him for the first few minutes of the period, mainly because the others spent a majority of the passing period at their lockers before class started.
The sound of three familiar voices broke Oliver from his thought-induced trance once again, making him look up. He saw the four seniors walking towards the table, conversing with one another until they reached him. IA set her books down and say beside Oliver, pulling on a strand of his hair gently in greeting like she usually did. "Hey Ollie, how's life?" She asks.
Oliver didn't wince at his hair being pulled, as it had become tradition. "M'fine..." he responds.
IA screws her lips at his trailed-off response. "Just fine?" Oliver only nods.
"You don't look fine to me." Teto says, taking the seat beside IA.
Oliver didn't notice Gumi and Piko leave for the library wordlessly when he looked up at the two other girls. "Things have been happening lately."
"What kinds of things~?" IA chimes, just being nosy. Oliver only shrugs again, earning a groan from the older girl.
"Well, this has been a fun and short conversation, but I must leave you now." Teto says, standing up and grabbing her bag. "Seeya later." She leans down and gives IA a quick kiss on the cheek before walking away towards the library herself.
"Where's she going?" Oliver asks, confused.
"Long-ass history essay she has to finish by tomorrow." IA replies, reaching into her own bag to grab her buzzing phone. She declines the call from her mother before putting the device back in her bag.
Oliver lets the silence continue for a bit before looking at IA. "How did you and Teto get together?" He asks.
IA's cerulean eyes widen in surprise a bit before looking towards him, then she grins. "It's quite simple, really." She begins. "I liked her, I knew she was into girls, then I went up to her and kissed her."
"Really?" Oliver asks, not doubting that his older friend would do such a risky thing.
IA nods. "Mhm. She liked my courageous insanity." She says, winking. "Why do you ask?"
Oliver hesitated for a moment. Could he tell her? He'd known her for a good year now and he trusted her. He also knew that she wouldn't ridicule him or think he was weird, because she was the same way. "... I think I'm in love with Len." He says quickly, his blood rushing to his face at the words he'd just uttered.
IA was taken aback by this. Her little blonde sophomore friend had a crush on his best friend? This was a surprise. "R-Really?" She asks. "...Wow."
"What do I do?!" Oliver asks, suddenly panicking.
"Whoa, calm down Ollie!" IA says, looking at him. She puts her hands on his shoulders, looking at him. "This isn't a bad thing."
"He has a girlfriend!" Oliver says, his eyes wide with panic and regret.
"Oh shit, this is bad." IA says, taking her hands back. "Hm..." She hums to herself, thinking. How could she help him?
-
Meanwhile, on the other side of the school, Miku had dragged Len out of class with urgency, much to his dismay and frustration.
"What is so important, Miku?!" Len asks her angrily once they're outside.
Miku hesitates before looking at him. "I'm sorry, Len..." She says, holding up her phone. On the screen was a video. Miku hit the play button, and what Len saw shattered him.
Through what little of the screen that wasn't covered by leaves, SeeU was visible being pinned to a wall by Fukase, a junior. The audio wasn't clear, but Len could hear little bouts of laughter from the two teenagers, before SeeU leaned closer and kissed Fukase. Len's heart broke.
SeeU was cheating on him.
Miku only stayed quiet as she turned the video off. Len hung his head, his eyes stinging with tears. "... Send me the video, Miku..." He says.
Miku looks at him, surprised. "But Len-"
"Send me the damn video!" Len yells at her, looking up and glaring at the tear-haired girl through misty eyes.
"Okay..." Miku trails off, forwarding the video to Len. His phone buzzed in his pocket, but he ignored it.
"I'd like to be alone now..." He says, his gaze drifting towards the ground again.
"Alright..." Miku says, turning away. "I'm sorry..." She apologizes once more before walking back into the school.
Len was frozen. How could she do that? They had dated for a year, she'd said she'd loved him so many times. Were they all just empty words? Len collapses against the wall, letting the tears fall. He felt betrayed, helpless, depressed... furious. How could she do this to him?! Was she just like all of the other girls in this school, sluts who use every single boy as a toy to be thrown out later?!
Len though about this for the remainder of the class period, until he arrived at a conclusion. He knew what he had to do.
-
IA and Oliver had come up with a plan. A good one, at that. Well, in IA's mind it was good. It was disastrous to anyone else, but IA will be IA.
"I know you can do it, Ollie." IA says, standing up when she hears the bell.
Oliver nods, doing the same. "Thank you, IA. I appreciate it."
"No problem! I'm always willing to help out a fellow homosexual cupcake." She says, grinning and shooting him a wink. Oliver just laughs nervously. "You don't mind if I tell Tornado Head, do you?" She asks.
Oliver shakes his head. "Of course not."
"Sweet," IA replies. "Text me later and tell me how it goes~" She chimes, walking away.
"I will, seeya!" Oliver calls after her, which is responded with a wave from the older girl. He grins, looking for ward to what was to happen next, but was surprised to hear Len yelling at someone as soon as he stepped out into the main hall.
"What is this?!" He yells at someone, who Oliver found out was SeeU of all people. He was holding his phone in front of her face, an angry expression plastered on his face. The confusion began to take over Oliver's mind.
"I- Len, I can explain!" SeeU says desperately, looking up at Len with wide eyes.
"I think this video is explanation enough, SeeU. You don't need to say anything else." Len seethes, pocketing his phone with his blue eyes narrowed down at the smaller blonde girl. "We're done."
SeeU was left shocked and alone as Len walked away, leaving her the center of attention in a quiet, yet crowded hallway. Tears filled her eyes as she ran away, pushing through the crowd in a desperate attempt to escape her humiliation.
Oliver was stunned. What had SeeU done to make Len so mad? He had never seen his best friend so furious...
The golden-eyed boy scanned the slowly-dispersing crowd quickly, and spotted IA and Teto not too far away. IA's expression showed her concern as she caught his eye, then mouthed something. When he didn't get it, she sent him a text.
'Change of plans,' was all it said. But when Oliver looked up, IA and Teto were gone, along with nearly all of the crowd. He lets out a sigh, then heads out the same direction Len left.
-
An hour later, Oliver finally gained the courage to call Len. He was slightly scared as he held the phone to his ear, scared that Len would still be upset.
"Hello?" Oliver hears Len ask after he answers, the other boy's tone surprising Oliver. Len's voice cracked as he spoke that one word, laced with depression. It brought sadness to Oliver just to hear the amount of emotion in the one word.
"H-Hi Len, are you okay?" He asks quickly, knowing that he was still treading on thin ice.
Len let out an amused huff. "Not at all." He says, pausing for a moment. "Can you... come over here? I need to talk to you in person..."
"Of course, Len." Oliver says with no hesitation. "I'll be there in ten minutes." He hangs up the phone quickly and stands up, slipping on a random pair of shoes. He was out the door before anyone knew.
Oliver only lived about a block away from Len, so he simply walked to his friend's house. He was nervous, that's for sure, and he was also very red as he though of the plan that he and IA had formulated earlier. Oliver wasn't only nervous, but he was scared. Scared if rejection, and scared of losing the friendship that he'd had with Len for years. Something like this could shatter their strong connection. Or... maybe it couldn't. If IA was right, it would strengthen them, and make them an unstoppable team. Of course it would be corny, coming from a girl, but Oliver hoped that she was right.
Oliver's phone buzzed, startling him. He sighs silently, pulling it out and reading the text from Len.
'The door's open, just come in.'
Well, that was perfect timing. Oliver was standing right in front of Len's house. He let out a shaky sigh, pocketing his phone again before walking up the concrete path to the door, and opening it without knocking. "Len?" He calls out, closing the door behind him.
"Up here," Len says from upstairs, not making himself visible. Oliver went up the stairs and turned into the hallway, looking in Len's room.
The blonde boy was sitting at his computer, scrolling through SeeU's profile on the school website. He didn't seem to be doing much besides looking through the many pictures she had on there. Len shuts the computer off when he sees Oliver's reflection in the monitor, then turns around to look at his best friend. "Hey," he greets, standing up.
"Hi..." Oliver replies quietly, stepping back a bit.
Len was silent for a moment before speaking. "Thank you for coming... I needed to talk to you right now." He says, walking towards his bed and sitting on the edge.
Oliver walked over and sat beside him, unable to look his friend in the eye. "I'm sorry, Len..."
"Why?" Len asks, looking at him. "You didn't have anything to do with any of it."
"Sure I didn't..."
"What do you mean?"
"I set you up with her."
"So?"
Oliver stopped for a moment. "So... I'm the reason she did whatever she did to you."
"She cheated on me." Len says quickly, looking at the wall straight ahead of him. "With Fukase."
"I thought she hated him..." Oliver mutters.
"I did too." Len says, sighing. "I'm an idiot for seeing through her..."
Oliver turns and looks at him. "No, Len, you're not... none of us saw it coming."
Len just looks at him, his eyes meeting Oliver's amber ones. "I shouldn't have been stupid."
Oliver is silent for a moment, before making his risky decision. "You're not stupid." He says, then leans forward and presses his lips against Len's.
Len's eyes widen, and he pulls away from Oliver. The boy's golden eyes showed every ounce of regret and heartbreak that he felt. Len didn't mean to do that to him, he was only surprised...
Before Oliver could make any move to leave, Len cupped both of Oliver's cheeks in his hands and kissed him again. This time, Oliver was surprised, but he was extremely relieved. He kisses back, smiling as he does, and lightly grabs onto one of Len's hands.
It felt like an eternity as they shared this moment, before Len finally had to pull back for air. He grins at Oliver, who was beaming.
"I-I love you, Len..." Oliver stutters, not taking his eyes off of Len's. "I have for a long time."
Len was silent for a moment, relishing in it. "I have too, Oliver..." He breathes. "I love you too..."
-
'Well?' 'It worked, IA. Everything worked.' 'Are you serious?!' 'I am.' 'Ohmygod! Ollie, I am so proud of you! I didn't think you would do it!' 'Am I that much of a coward?' 'Yes, you are.' 'Damn.' 'Well, you are now officially a homosexual cupcake! Would you like a badge?' 'Sure, that sounds nice.'