Just Like A Tattoo: Beneath The Stars
*I'm not sure if 1x09 helped my fic, or not. We shall see. Let's just say it threw me for a loop.*
They walked for hours, Ian losing track of the exact time at some point after two in the afternoon. His feet were sore and he had begun to feel the ache of exhaustion awhile back, but he didn't complain about it.
Unlike Suki, who had somehow managed to convince Ray to carry her piggy back style. Not that that was too hard to begin with, or that it was any trouble to Ray with his enhanced strength. And worse than Suki was Gabe, who had to whine about something every five minutes.
"Ian, I'm tiiiirreeed . . ."
"Ian, I'm bored."
"Ian, my feet hurt."
"Ian, carry me."
Ian rolled his eyes, finally deciding he'd had enough, "No," he snapped. "And why are you only whining to me?"
Gabe pointed at CJ and stuck out his lower lip, "Cause Ceej will punch me." CJ glanced at him threateningly over her shoulder and he flinched in response. "Ian, I'm hungry!" he whimpered, looking away from her to Ian again.
The blond snorted, but paused in his walking, causing Gabe to run into his back with a huff. "Fine, let's stop for lunch. But remember, we only have enough sandwiches for four meals, so if you're not famished save some for later."
"Oh I'm famished," Gabe said, making a grabby motion towards CJ, who was carrying the bag with their food in it. She made a face at him and sat down, laying out the food and indicating they could eat.
As per usual, Gabe practically inhaled his food, a motion which Ray copied, leaving crumbs all over his shirt which Suki meticulously picked off, chastising him for being such a messy eater. Ian simply rolled his eyes, eating just enough to quench the immediate pangs of hunger, taking notice as CJ did the same.
Looking up at the trees stretching high overhead, Ian couldn't help but feel apprehensive about the days to come. Sure, they were free, finally free. But what did that entail, exactly? Would they keep wandering around this forest until they died of eventual starvation? Ian couldn't help but allow his thoughts to dwell on such a morbid outcome, there weren't too many alternatives at this point.
Beside him to his right, CJ glanced his way and shook her head slightly, "The fearless leader worries too much," she murmured, just loud enough for him to hear.
Ian smiled, shrugging his shoulders in as carefree a manner as possible, "Only a selfish leader doesn't worry about his comrades," he replied, putting on a mock kingly air as he spoke. Gabe snickered on his left. "I can't help but worry, Ceej, we don't even know where we are, or how far we have to go before we get anywhere near home."
"Or where home used to be," Gabe said around a mouthful of sandwich. He blinked and caught Ian staring at him, "Dude, don't look at me like that. Our parents gave us away. What makes you think they want us back?" He snorted, glaring at his sandwich as though it had just grievously offended him. "What makes you think they'll want me back," he whispered.
"Gabe-"
CJ cut him off with a sharp look, "Drop it, Ian, now's not the time for some deep heart to heart with Mr. Mopey over there."
"I am not Mr. Mopey!" Gabe yelled.
Ian patted him on the back consolingly, "Let's talk about it later, buddy." Turning his attention back to CJ he hissed, "Look, we don't even know how big this stupid peninsula is, okay? Or where on earth it is for that matter. For now I vote we just keep going north."
CJ tilted her head to the side, confusion clear in her eyes, "But . . . How do we know which way is north? I know we were just guessing when we jumped the 'north' wall, going by the compass mark Norman suggested the Tower Prep sign symbolized, but . . ." She drew off, casting her eyes towards the sky as though it could give her direction.
At her hesitation, Gabe smirked, motioning towards the tree he was leaning against, "Well," he started, "One way to tell which direction we're going would be the moss on the trees." The bespectacled teen winked at Ian, "Right?"
Ian grinned, "Exactly. Moss only grows on the north side of trees," he gestured to the towering pines and sycamores around them. "The plan is to head north for another hour or so, and by that time we should be close to the far end of that lake we saw on the map." At this Suki nodded in agreement, remembering the map she'd found buried in a drawer in Cornelius Tower's office. "We'll stop there for the night," Ian went on.
"We're close to a lake?" Ray looked incredulous at this.
"If the maps were correct, yes," Ian replied smoothly, "But I'd like us to stick to the trees for now."
"The lake is too open, too close to the school," Gabe added softly, "If we walked along the shore now we could be spotted." Ray raised an eyebrow, "Spotted? Aren't we free now?" Silence stretched, and Ian let it sink into his heart with the realization that he had no answer to that question.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
Ray realized that with each step he took outside Tower Prep's confines that he'd made the right choice.
When Ian had first arrived at the school they had become immediate rivals, the ferocity between them worsened when he realized Suki's unrequited affections towards the blond. Even now, it still made something inside him burn with pure jealousy. But Ray was not a cruel person, no matter what his actions might say. There was a difference between playing a part and living it.
When people choose their friends they are also, unconsciously, picking out their future outward appearance, and given time their overall personality. And Ray's friends, his roommates, were far from what one consider kind. It wasn't until much later he would come to see this and thus see what he'd molded himself to be.
Ray was one of the oldest students at the school, if one was going by how long he'd been there that is. He'd come to Tower Prep when he was eleven, moving up through the Elementary Division into Junior, and finally Senior two years ago. He wasn't the greatest student, or teachers pet, and he merely did what he needed to get by and nothing more. No one expected much of someone who didn't strive to overachieve in the first place. Ray knew what he was doing from day one, blending in and becoming as unnoticeable as possible among his fellow students.
Unnoticeable to anyone but Suki. In terms of how long she'd been there, she was three years Ray's senior. He wasn't surprised by that fact, really. Vocal powers, particularly one such as Suki's, were hard to miss in the real world beyond the walls. They were notably some of the youngest to be discovered. The youngest to be captured and stolen away in the night. And as much as Ray had tried to remain a nobody in his first year at the school, Suki had signaled him out.
In the younger divisions it was a rare and attention drawing event when new students arrived. One, maybe two a year if they were lucky. It was much more common in the Junior area, intensified in the Senior Division. Ray had often pondered on why that was, coming up with the simple conclusion that people's powers grew stronger after puberty started, the mutated genes that made them who they were amplified by the sudden surge of hormones. It made them more noticeable, and actions that had once seemed simple and normal to them became suddenly abnormal in the eyes of those around them.
He wasn't surprised when Headmaster told him he'd been sent here, rather than forced. His parents, like his friends, had not been kind people. Their son who did just enough to move up a grade, got in fights on the playground daily, and holed himself up in his room when he was home was nothing but a disappointment.
It was the fighting that had gotten him in trouble and eventually landed him at Tower Prep. Apparently, he hadn't been the only one to notice his uncharacteristic strength. He hadn't even been aware of it until he'd broken a classmates arm as though it was a toothpick. The guilt had gnawed at him for days after that, and he'd sulked in the seemingly safe confines of his bedroom. The night he'd gotten up the guts to confess that the incident wasn't as much of an accident as he'd made it out to be was the night he'd fallen asleep, waking up in Tower Prep the next morning.
Sometimes he'd wonder what had become of the child whose arm he'd broken. Was he in High School now? Was he looking over his shoulder, wondering if Ray would return to finish him off?
The idea itself was so far from reality it made Ray chuckle softly to himself.
And once again, his mind had wandered back to Suki. When he'd arrived at the school he'd sworn he was done with fights, and the less kids noticed him, the less there would be. That was the idea anyways.
But Suki had insisted on sitting next to him at lunch the second week he was there, in the late spring of the fifth grade. Unlike the people he would later meet, she was indeed kind. She showed him around the hidden corners he had yet to tread, explained to him how Whisper worked, and basically just made him feel more at home than he'd ever felt in his own house.
When he'd complained about the complete lack of television on the campus Suki had reenacted as much of Star Wars Episode Four as she could remember, adding in the voices and light saber sound effects to emphasize performance. Afterwards, she'd confessed it was one of her favorite movies.
It was then that Ray had decided he loved her.
Their first year in the Junior Division was the first time they'd had roommates, instead of the mass boys or girls houses they'd been accustomed to before. Unfortunately, one did not choose who they would room with.
Being an "older" student, when Ray's two roommates had arrived it had been his duty to guide them through the rough adjustment to Tower Prep. One, a year his senior in age, was a heavy set, well muscled guy with similar powers to Ray. The other, a skinny pale thing with the ability to see through solid walls, had been abducted with one of his friends, an Indian boy who could heat things up to ridiculous temperatures with a simple touch. Under their daily influence Ray couldn't help but conform to their wishes, stepping into the mold of superiority they held and maintained from day one. When his older roommate pushed Suki to the ground, knocking her papers and books from her hands and watching with amusement as they spread across the tiled hallway floor, Ray hadn't stepped in to help her, instead wearing the cruel smirk he'd picked up from his new companions.
Suki had stopped talking to him after that, and as with many friendships, regretful as the actions that broke them may be, they fell apart a month into the seventh grade, never sparing a backwards glance one way or the other.
When his older roommate had graduated, Ian had filled up the empty bed. Ian was rash, stubborn, and irrational when it came to many things too numerous to name. But he was also courageous beyond belief, righteous in his actions, and fearless in his stance.
Ray admired him immensely.
And it was because of Ian, and his brash personality that for some reason drew others to him like flies to honey, that Suki stepped back into his life. He had not forgotten, no matter how many days and years had passed, that he had loved her. Loved her still, even. Back then it had been a childish affection, spurned on by similar hobbies and such, a typical first crush. Except the green fires of jealousy he felt when she looked at Ian, adoringly as though he was some sort of heaven-sent hero, forced him to see it wasn't as meaningless as he had thought it to be.
He'd nearly punched a hole in the wall when Ian had said he'd found her attractive, instead replying with a meek agreement. It wasn't until months later he'd learn it had been Suki saying those words, hiding in Ian's bed while Ian tried to clear his name in the tunnels through and beneath the school.
When they'd been assigned partners in the field trip out into the woods he'd been ecstatic to have Suki as his, though he didn't miss the way her eyes had flashed with annoyance and anger. He didn't blame her, really.
Thankfully they hadn't discussed the past, and after some poking and prodding, they'd almost reverted back to the children they'd been when they were friends, howling in the woods and laughing until their sides hurt. Then, Ray thanked God for poison ivy.
It was not too long after that, suspicious of the map the Vice President had found in Gabe's bag, that Ray had followed her to the observatory. With her sharp eyes CJ had caught him only heartbeats after he snuck into the room, calling him out and begging Ian to punch him for trespassing. Except that Ian didn't, which had surprised Ray immensely.
He'd always just assumed Ian played lapdog for CJ, if only because she was pretty.
He was wrong.
Instead, Ian had sized him up, watching him, waiting for his even sharper eyes to reveal to him his enemy's move to be. A move that never came, and with Suki's eyes on him, shocked but semi-hopeful, he'd confessed what he'd been hiding for a long, long time.
"I want to get out."
It was a misconception to think that everyone wanted that. Sure, there were people who missed their pets, their siblings, their parents, their X-Box, but few wanted to give up the prestige the school placed upon them for those things. At Tower Prep they were special, no longer the odd ones out or the overlooked nobodies. Ray wanted to go back to being a nobody.
Nobodies didn't hurt people. And they didn't have friends that they could betray.
At his admittance, Ian had simply smiled, holding out his fisted hand towards Ray with a quiet laugh, "You're in the right place."
Ray had understood then and there why he was the unanimous leader.
And now they were out, free, breathing the same air they had while behind those walls that for some reason now tasted so different it made him gasp with the joy of it as he walked. "Six years is far too long," he surmised, bringing himself back to reality with a sideways glance at Ian.
"Try nine," Suki muttered at his side, and he touched her shoulder consolingly.
"Or a lifetime," CJ sighed, gazing up at the stars that were starting to appear far overhead, barely visible through the yellow-orange glow of the setting sun.
Gabe made a face, "Stop being so depressing," he grumbled, crossing his arms, "You make me feel like the baby of the group."
Ray raised an eyebrow, "Yes, you, with four years at Tower Prep, are the baby of the group as opposed to Ian with his single, still uncompleted, year," he said sarcastically, earning a collective giggle from the others.
He couldn't remember the last time anyone had laughed because of something he'd said, and he smiled to himself, feeling a flush of red spread to his cheeks.
As they stepped out of the coverage of the trees Gabe whooped loudly, waving a hand towards the glimmer of water just ahead. Ray grinned, catching the shorter teen's eyes and the challenge in them. In a heartbeat they were dashing towards the shore, tearing clothes off as they went. Suki opened her mouth to protest that the water had to be colder than hell this time of year, but closed it after a breath, shaking her head. CJ simply rolled her eyes while Ian called after them, exclaiming something about an unfair start before he followed, tugging his shirt over his head.
Ray laughed with glee as he hit the water, ecstatic that he had won. Gabe let out a disappointed groan as he skidded to a halt on the shore, ignoring the exclamations from the girls far behind him to "just jump in already we don't want to look at your naked butt" before he was bowled over into the water by Ian with an undignified squeal.
"It's c-cold!" Gabe hissed as soon as his head broke the surface of the water. After a moment of gulping down air he turned a ruthless glare at Ian, who was lazily treading water between him and Ray. "You're lucky I didn't have my glasses on," he muttered sourly, holding back a chatter of his teeth.
"Boo, quit being a party pooper," Ian smirked, bobbing underwater for a moment and reappearing with his cheeks puffed out, presumably ready to spit a mouthful of lake water at his friend. Gabe backpedaled and slapped his hands down on the surface of the lake, sending a spray into the air at his defense.
On the shore, Suki set about laying out the supplies she had in her bag, examining each item carefully. "Think we're far enough away to light a fire?" she asked CJ, holding up the lighter she'd nicked from a chimney smoker of a teacher a few months back.
CJ glanced back the direction they'd come warily, towards where the school would be. "Wait till it's darker, so no one can see the smoke. And let's set up camp farther inside the trees so the light from the flames will be harder to spot."
Suki nodded in agreement, picking at a blade of grass near her feet, "You sure know a lot for someone who's never seen the world outside the school's walls." She blinked, casting an apologetic glance at the other, "Sorry, that was rude of me. I didn't-"
"It's fine," CJ smiled, "I know what you meant. And it's called reading. I don't just indulge in vampire romance novels you know."
"But those are nice," Suki confessed with a sigh.
"Though not terribly insightful," CJ reminded. "After Ian came to the school I started looking into other books." She grinned, "After that disastrous field trip I got away with reading a bunch of extensive field guides on plants and such. Though Headmaster refused to let me see any about survival in the wilderness." CJ winked, her head resting in her hands, "Although he didn't think anything about my sudden interest in a few seemingly harmless novels like My Side Of The Mountain and Hatchet."
"Genius," Suki breathed, impressed. "And yet you still didn't know about the moss on the north side of trees."
CJ stuck her tongue out, "Even genius's have their faults. There's nothing wrong with that."
"Didn't know what a record was either," Suki mumbled, earning her a playful shove from the other girl.
Her eyes wandered back to the lake, watching as the boys splashed about in the water. Currently Ian had his arms draped over Gabe's head as he shouted, "Go!" and shoved the other under the water, only to have him reemerge a moment later gasping out "Green?" before Ray barked out a "Nope!" and Ian dunked him again.
"What the heck are they doing?" CJ asked, frowning as Gabe sputtered out another color, apparently also the wrong answer as he was shoved beneath the water again.
"Some game," Suki surmised, "Gabe has to guess the color Ray's thinking of or he gets dunked with every wrong answer."
CJ snorted, "Boys. That sounds like soooo much fun," she said sarcastically.
"Let them enjoy it," Suki murmured, chin in her hands, "They deserve a breather. We all do."
After a pause CJ nodded, watching as Gabe apparently guessed correctly and launched himself on Ian, screaming that it was time for revenge while Ray laughed so hard he had trouble staying above the water. "How about the responsible girls gather up something for dinner while the boys make fools of themselves," CJ said finally, and Suki nodded in amused agreement.
An hour and a half later the boys dragged themselves ashore and redressed, shivering as they made their way to the small fire burning between the towering trees at the edge of the forest. Gabe crouched beside the small collapsible pot that was bubbling over the flames and sniffed, making a horrid face as he did so. "Ugh! What is that?" he gagged.
"Supper," Suki informed, while Ian knocked the raven haired teen upside the head for the rude comment.
"Poison," Gabe said under his breath while Ray swallowed thickly beside him, eyes narrowed at the concoction.
Ian rolled his eyes, ignoring them, "It looks great girls, how did you make it?"
CJ, pleased someone appeared to appreciate at her work, launched into a lengthy explanation of a water purifier, gathering edible plants she'd seen in a book, and mixing it all together to heat over the fire. "And I'm almost certain that it was the mushrooms without the spots that were safe to eat," she ended, missing the way Gabe mouthed the word "almost" with utter terror on his face, and Ray scuttled backwards away from the stuff.
"I'm sure it's fine," Ian smiled, grabbing a cup that Suki held up for him expectantly, tossing similar ones to the others, smirking as Gabe fumbled nervously with his. "Dig in!"
Thankfully, the mushrooms were not poisoned, though Gabe insisted on sipping at his soup as if they were, frowning and smacking his lips with each taste until Ian elbowed him in the side, "You can't taste poison," he hissed. After that Gabe had stopped, muttering about how his friends were trying to kill him, an idea Suki only insinuated with a sly toothy grin.
Ray climbed one of the trees they had their backs against as soon as he was done eating, making his way as high as he could before he peered out over the land around them. "I can barely make out the lights of the school," he called down when Ian asked, "But it could be just my imagination. It's just a spot, like a far away star."
"Let's hope it stays that way," Ian murmured to himself before looking upwards again, "And in the other direction?"
"Nothing," Ray confessed regretfully, "More trees as far as the eye can see. But it looks like they thin out somewhere near the horizon. Although that could just be my imagination again."
Ian shook his head, "No, I trust your judgment on that. Come on down now so we can discuss a watch for the night."
Between Ian and Ray, the later somehow unconsciously promoted to chief advisor to the leader after they'd jumped the wall, they decided that the two of them could handle the watch for the eight or so hours they'd have of the night. "I'll take first," Ian insisted, "I'm used to longer stretches without sleep. And I'll wake you at about two, agreed?"
Ray gave in, rifling through the bags until he pulled out all the blankets that had been packed, divvying them out between the five of them. "Should we keep the fire going?" he asked, glancing at it and noticing the way it was starting to burn out.
"Might as well," Ian said, "It'll at least be something nice to look at."
"You're supposed to be watching for danger," Ray laughed, "Not staring at the fire!"
"But that's so much more interesting," Ian teased. "Now as for sleeping arrangements-"
Before he could go on CJ threw her hands in the air with exasperation, "You have to decide how we sleep too? You're such a control freak!"
Ian smiled, allowing her annoyance to continue for a moment, "A control freak who's keeping you safe. Now, I think it's best if you, Ceej, sleep in the middle, and Suki on your right. That way you girls have the most protection."
Reluctantly, CJ admitted that it was a good idea, and by the time everyone was settled down for the night Ray occupied the far right, Suki against his shoulder, CJ to her left with one of Ian's arms around her and the teen himself beside her, and Gabe on the far left, Ian's other arm looped tight around him as well.
Over the glow of the fire Ray couldn't help but laugh to himself at the sight, making a tisking sound with his tongue. "You're such a mother hen, Ian," he whispered, careful not to wake the girls, and Gabe was already snoring, Senior Guapo squashed between his arm and Ian's chest where his fist was clenched into the taller teen's red sweater vest.
Ian raised an eyebrow but smirked at the remark compliantly, "Something wrong with that?"
"No," Ray said evenly, "It's why they all trust you so much. They know that you'll give your life to keep them safe." He watched as Ian reached over CJ so that he could touch the top of Suki's head, laughing softly as she mumbled in her sleep.
"And you?" Ian asked, replacing his arm around CJ's shoulders when she shivered, drawing the blanket up tighter around her, his other hand threading into Gabe's hair. "Do you trust me?" his eyes caught Ray's as he searched for an honest answer.
For a moment, if only for dramatic effect, Ray hesitated, "With my life," he admitted finally, smiling at the relived whoosh of air that escaped the blond. "You didn't expect me to? You were the one that allowed me to join your little ragtag escape band, remember?"
"One of the biggest risks I ever took," Ian replied in all honesty. "After Connor, I wasn't sure who to trust anymore. But I knew you cared about Suki, and I figured you to care enough not to betray her, no matter how much you hated me."
"Hated?" Ray echoed. "Hate's a rather strong word, don't you think? I hate the school, and Headmaster, and every one of those fuckers who kept us trapped their like lab rats for their own amusement. But for you I merely felt contempt," he said assuredly, "And jealousy," after a breath.
Ian snorted, shaking his head, "Why would anyone be jealous of me? I've been expelled from two schools, escaped from a third, and have never had a single lasting friendship before this year. There's not much to be jealous of."
"But the ladies fall all over you," Ray confessed, glancing down at Suki with a frown.
Ian couldn't help but laugh, "Have at that, my friend, I couldn't care less," he said, taking a drink from his water bottle.
"Ye gads," Ray mocked, "Ian Archer, favorite of all the ladies, has no interest in romance?" he put his hands to his cheeks and opened his mouth in an O of fake horror.
"It wasn't something I've had the chance to give much thought to," Ian laughed, leaning as far over as he could so that he could flick Ray on his pointy nose, making the other snort in surprise. "Back home I was defending myself and the regular crowd of bullied kids from the neighborhood jerks."
"Always the hero," Ray sighed, Ian glared at him.
"And here I was formulating a plan of escape," he finished.
"So little brain space is too easily filled I see," the dark haired teen teased, earning him another annoyed flick. "But I mean, come on man, you have three of four comrades practically kissing your butt to get your attention, you can't say you've never thought about making a move on one of them." At this he crossed his free arm in front of Suki, "But not this one. I will deck you."
"Three of four. So you have no interest in a make-out session then?" Ian surmised, wiggling his eyebrows, taunting the other.
"In your dreams," Ray gagged.
Ian chuckled, turning his gaze back to the fire lazily, "Well, even so, I'm not the type that's well versed in that sort of stuff anyways. Not even the platonic sort. My parents simply needed an heir, and what they gained was a disappointment." He shrugged at Ray's sympathizing, knowing look, "I really couldn't care less. As far as anything else goes, sex isn't love."
Ray choked on his own spit at this, "Holy- are you serious?" He held out a fist, "Bump it. You the man."
Ian complied, rolling his eyes and pursing his lips so as not to laugh. "Might as well not waste pure perfection," he grinned, gesturing at himself.
"Your ego is showing," Ray coughed.
"As you said, the ladies like me," he replied.
Ray tilted his head to the side, contemplating on whether he really wanted to know, "How many?"
Ian held up three fingers after a pause, "All before I came here, all one niters. Girls dig the bad boy idea but don't come back for seconds when they realize their bad boy has a picture of his dead dog on his nightstand." Ray laughed and Ian smirked, "And that's the story of my life, what about you?"
Shrugging, Ray muttered, "Nothin' much, been here since I was eleven and have loved the same girl the whole time. No great feats to speak of here." He pointed an accusing finger at Ian, "But don't change the subject. You're avoiding it like the plague."
"What subject?" Ian asked innocently.
Ray sighed loudly, "The one I've been trying to steer you towards since we started talking!"
"Which is . . ." Ian prompted.
"Gabe!" Ray threw his hands up the same way CJ had done only an hour ago, "Good lord! Gabe! Gabe and you, you and Gabe, however you want to say it!" He blinked at Ian's look of utter surprise, "Oh for- Of course you're oblivious to it. The only people who don't see it are always those directly involved. For the love of-" he stopped himself with a hand to his forehead, breathing in. "You don't find it odd?"
Unconsciously, Ian tightened his arm around Gabe's shoulders, "No, I don't. I have no idea what you're talking about, Ray."
Ray groaned, throwing his head back to stare at the boughs of trees overhead before he continued, regaining what remained of his sanity. "You are an idiot," he surmised after a moment, nodding to himself. Ian glared. "I mean, come on Ian, you can't have not noticed unless you were a complete moron." He waved his hand in the air before Ian could protest, "Because, you know it's so completely normal that when you need to make a point, or say something important, that you have to be touching Gabe to do so, or vise versa. Same goes for finishing each other's sentences, talking in unison, and jumping into danger for each other. As well as Gabe being the one you seem to shield the most when shit goes wrong, even if it is unconscious. And as I recall it was Gabe's poster I was about to rip down, and Gabe I was pushing around when you tried, and basically succeeded, in punching my lights out."
"That-" "Is old news," Ray finished, ignoring the open mouthed expression Ian wore as though he wanted to say more. "And to top it off, Gabe dropped everything and didn't care that he could get sick too when you collapsed during the election, practically screaming his head off until you got the medical attention you needed as well as refusing to leave your bedside until you woke up." He held up a hand for silence, "I was there, remember? In the infirmary. I'm not as oblivious as you."
Ian closed his mouth with a frown, "We're just friends."
"Who live in the same room and eat together and finish each others sentences and insist on having contact with each other all the time." He gestured to Ian's arm around Gabe as if to prove his point.
"But I have my arm around CJ too!" Ian protested.
Ray smirked, "Denial is such an ugly thing." He shrugged, "But tell me, would you kiss her? As anything more than curiosity or a one niter?"
Ian narrowed his eyes, glancing down at her, "Er . . ."
"Hesitation equals a no then," Ray concluded. "And Gabe?"
Ian swallowed, refusing to look in the other boy's direction, "I don't have to answer your stupid questions anymore," he said with a glare at Ray, "Now go to sleep!"
Ray raised his hands in front of his chest defensively, "Okay, okay! No need to get all riled up. Geeze." He closed his eyes, muttering a final, whispered, "Denial," under his breath.
The blond snorted, staring pointedly at the fire while he contemplated Ray's words, rolling them over and over in his head as the night wore on until he couldn't find the line between what had been said and what had really happened, because for the most part Ray's points had been true. So then, where did that leave him? With a heavy sigh, Ian resigned himself the task of watching the way he acted in the days to come, and more than that, observing the way Gabe acted around him, and vise versa.
RANDOM AUTHOR RAMBLE
Long chapter is long. Almost five pages longer than the first. D: which is good for all of you but equals sore fingers for me. At least, I HOPE there's an "all of you" because It's very dull writing this if no one is enjoying it. *cough*review lots*cough*
ANYWHO. I love Ray. More than I should, really. Haha. He reminds me of Draco a little too much. *glomps Draco* but that's no the point. He smart and insanely cunning in my mind, which is why I think he targeted Gabe in Election. He has no quarrel with Gabe other than the fact that that he's Suki's apparent future man *gags* and at that point there were little to no signs of such a thing. He was after Ian. HE KNOWS! Lol. So lotsa Ray this chapter, lotsa Ian next chapter. And some more Ian/Gabe of course. O 3o
For the future, does anyone know Cal's powers? From what I could tell it was insanely good hearing in the Field Trip ep. Am I right? O_O