Author's Note: No slash in this one, kids. Just a good ol' friendship fic, focusing on the infamous day that Brian Kinney entered Michael Novotny's life. Reviews are always groovy.
Michael has never been popular in school. He hasn't been exactly unpopular, either. He knows which social group he belongs in, and that's where he stays, not bothered by any of the popular kids (until gym class, at least), content with his situation. His grades are average at best, but he tries his hardest so it's not his fault that he'll never make the honour roll. Not to mention the fact that school gives him an excuse to spend eight hours a day away from his mother (sweet lady, a little overwhelming).
It's October now in Pittsburgh, which means that school is out of the 'let's get re-acquainted' phase and now the real schoolwork begins. Michael sits at his desk in English class, constantly distracted by the leaves that are slowly beginning to change and fall. It was a bad idea to seat him next to the window. Before he knows it, silent reading time is over and the shrill voice of his teacher brings him back to earth.
"Today, we'll be starting our independent novel study, and as I told you last week I'm going to be allowing you to work in partners. First I want you to go through this handout, then you'll choose your partners and we'll go to the library to find your book."
Michael flips through the handout when he gets it. It outlines the assignments they'll be doing over the course of the next few weeks; journals, posters, questions to answer, and other small projects. He glances up, hoping to make eye-contact with one of his friends to seal their partnership. No dice, none of them are looking. Instead he tries to think of a good choice of novel, something exciting and adventurous, something as close to comic books as he can get. He'll never find it fair that they can't do reading studies on comic books. After saying that they'll go through each assignment in more depth as they come up, the teacher lets the class go on their partner search.
Getting up, Michael starts walking towards his best friend since kindergarten. He gets about half way there when someone catches his eye. There's a boy in the back, the only one sitting down, watching everyone with a look of indifference. Michael has never seen this boy before, so his only conclusion is that he's new. Well ... If he is new, then he no chance of getting a good partner – not that Michael thinks he's a great partner or something, but he'd hate for the new kid to get stuck with someone awful. His friends will understand. Michael walks over to the boy, putting on a friendly smile.
"Hi. I'm Michael." The boy just looks at Michael, silently sizing him up. He raises an eyebrow, Michael's smile becomes a bit awkward. "Uh. Did you want to be my partner?"
The boy takes another look around the class, looking to see if there's anyone better. "Sure."
"Brian – Oh, you've found a partner. Great." The teacher smiles, showing off her large and slightly creepy teeth. "Trust Michael to be the friendliest. All right everyone. Since you've all got a partner, let's go to the library."
The students file out of the room noisily. Michael waits for Brian, who leaves last, and walks next to him.
"So, your name is Brian? That's cool. Did you just move here?"
"Yeah."
"Well. This school isn't the greatest, and neither is Pittsburgh, but they're not so bad."
"Mmhm."
Okay, so Brian isn't as chatty as Michael, but Michael doesn't think for a second that Brian's reserve equals shyness. To Michael, Brian looks like he's simply eyeing up the playing field, planning his attack. He's destined for popularity. Until then, though, Michael will do what he can to make Brian feel welcome.
"Do you have any ideas for a book we can do?"
Brian shrugs, walking into the library and looking around. He leaves Michael behind as he wanders over to a shelf. There, he scans each book with an index finger, obviously looking for something, and when he finds it he brings two copies back to Michael. "Here."
"... Peter Pan?" Michael looks down at the book, almost in disbelief. "This is a joke, right?"
"Why would I be joking?" Brian looks at Michael with a serious expression on his face, and Michael can't help but feel a bit guilty. "It's one of my favourite stories."
"We aren't allowed to use a book we've already read."
"I never said I read it, did I? Everyone knows the story of Peter Pan. Unless you have something else in mind?"
Michael glances up, looking at Brian's raised eyebrow and expectant face. "No," he shakes his head, "no, I don't."
"Great. Then we've got our book."
---
English class passes quickly. Michael sticks his copy of Peter Pan in his backpack as he asks Brian what his next class is.
"Math. With Milne." There's a pause from Brian. "What about you?"
"I have math after lunch. Science right now. But if you want, I can show you where to go."
"Sure."
The two boys leave the library, making their way through the crowded hallways. Michael points out things of interest (such as the cafeteria and the student lounge), Brian simply nods. When they get to Milne's room, Michael shrugs and smiles.
"Here we are. Room 208. I should get to my own class now before I'm late."
"Uh-huh." Brian walks inside the classroom before stopping and turning around to look at Michael. "And where's your science class?"
Michael doesn't really think much of the question. "Oh, it's just down the hallway. 213. See you around, Brian!"
"See you around, Michael," is the murmured response.
Brian walks his way through the math class, looking for a desk that's out of the way of people that look like they'd get on his nerves. He finds one in the corner and sits there, not caring that it's right next to the teacher's desk and definitely not caring what other people might think about that. The thing that Brian learned quickly is that it doesn't matter what other people think, because he is who he is, and fuck them if they can't deal with it. It's a trait he's inherited from his father. In fact, that's the whole reason he hasn't dropped out of school all together – his father. If he had to stay home all day and listen to his mother and father fighting about every little spot on the linoleum floor, Brian would probably shoot himself.
So he obligingly goes to school and miraculously exceeds at it. His teachers get frustrated that a student who puts so little effort into it constantly churns out top grades, and that's probably why he continues to use as little effort as possible. And Brian never lets himself get pulled into a group. He doesn't do labels, and he doesn't do people a lot, either. Few people are tolerable enough to be friends with Brian - either he can't stand them, or they can't stand them. But this Michael kid ...
Brian's not sure where he stands on that yet. Michael doesn't seem all that bad; he's chipper, talkative, Brian can see how easily that'd get annoying, but at the same time Brian likes the modesty that seems to follow Michael around. He figures it'll stop Michael from pulling dick moves on him like other friends Brian's had over the years. He'll see where it goes. At worst, he just has to put up with the kid during English class.
At the sound of the bell, Brian takes out a pen and chews the end, not bothering to take notes.
---
"—Brian!" Michael blinks, then smiles, when he sees the boy standing outside of room 213. "Were you waiting for me?"
"What else would I be doing here? Come on, let's go eat, I'm starving."
"Well. I usually eat lunch with my friends, you're welcome to come along."
"Oh." Brian can only imagine what Michael's friends would be like. "No, it's fine. I'll go eat on my own."
"... I'm sure they'll be fine without me for a day. Besides, someone needs to warn you about what cafeteria food you need to avoid."
"Great." Brian flashes Michael a bit of a smile.
Together, they walk down to the cafeteria. Michael asks Brian how math class went, and, after getting a short two-word answer, launches into a full synopsis of science class. He gets so into it, to the point where he's in the middle of imitating an exploding skittle and nearly falls on his face. Brian laughs as he grabs Michael's arm to keep him steady. They look at each other and burst out into another round of laughter, and it's suddenly as though Brian's decided to let his guard down. It's a miracle they eat anything over lunch. It's one joke after another, embarrassing stories and ridiculous gossip, and when Michael is laughing so hard his lemonade comes out his nose, Brian has tears coming out of his eyes.
The rest of the day goes by in a blur. Michael and Brian don't share any other classes, but at the end of the day they manage to find each other outside. Michael practically runs over to Brian.
"Hey!"
"Hey."
"How were the rest of your classes?"
"Fine." Brian shrugs and adjusts his backpack. "Yours?"
"Not nearly as good as science class." Michael grins and the two snicker a bit. "Hey, how do you get home?"
"However I want to. You?"
Michael's going to have to get used to those answers. "Oh. Uh, I walk. It's only a few blocks."
"Cool, I'll walk with you." It's the opposite way of where Brian needs to do, and he'll probably miss his bus, but he wants to talk to Michael more before he has to return home.
"Oh, cool. Come on."
The walk is less eventful than lunch. Brian gets Michael to tell him about his family and Pittsburgh and himself. Michael answers, and when he asks a question about Brian he gets the usual short response. He tells Brian about his love for comic books, not caring when Brian laughs and calls him a nerd. Brian admits he doesn't mind them, but he doesn't think they're fascinating. Michael tells him that he's going to lend Brian some of the best Captain Astro comics to read. Before either of them realize, they're already at Michael's place.
"So this is home?" Brian looks at the house, thinking it's almost perfect that a guy like Michael lives in a place like that.
"So this is home." Michael smiles and throws a glance over his shoulder at the house.
"Speaking of home, I should be going. ... It was really cool meeting you, Michael. Don't forget to read a bit for tomorrow."
Michael's almost sad to have to see Brian go. "Yeah, you too. The meeting, I mean. But you shouldn't forget to read either. I'll see you in English tomorrow."
"Hey, why don't you meet me at that cafe we walked by? We can get some food before school."
"Yeah, totally!"
"See ya, Michael."
Michael waves to Brian as he leaves, then runs up the steps to the house. He bursts through the door with a huge grin and heads to the kitchen, where he knows his mom is. "Ma! There's this new boy in school – Brian Kinney!"
And for weeks, all Michael can talk about is Brian Kinney this and Brian Kinney that.