"Now, young Ventus, do you know why you're here?"

Principal Merlin crossed his hands before him, resting them on his desk as he cast Ven a pointed glance. It was almost enough for Ven to turn into a nervous wreck—not through any sort of authority or charisma that the principal might have, but just because Ven wasn't used to being here. 'Here' being the principal's office. Where the bad kids go after misbehaving.

Ven wasn't a bad kid. He'd never been here before.

"I—yeah." He lowered his eyes.

"What's that? Watch your language."

"Yes, Principal Merlin," Ven recited. "I know why I'm here."

"And that is—"

"Because I used foul language in sex ed class with Mr Frollo."

"Quite right." Merlin glanced at the sheets of paper spread out before him. Ven was pretty sure it was his record, and was at least half-certain the principal had never even read it before. He probably didn't even know Ven was a student at his school. Principal Merlin tended to focus a bit more on the bad students than the class valedictorian. "Now you remember how to speak politely," he muttered.

"Look, Principal Merlin, all I wanted to say was—" Merlin raised a finger without looking up, as if to shut him up. Ven didn't feel inclined to obey. "This class is nonsense, sir! Not just because—"

"Young man, it's not up to you to question what you're being taught in school." He rolled his eyes with a mocking chuckle. "If students started telling us what to teach, soon we would be talking about nothing but the tweezers and the four knights!"

Ven frowned. "You mean Twitter? And…Fortnite?" Merlin was so far off, Ven wasn't even sure his translation was correct.

Merlin glared at the remark anyway. "Besides, such language—"

"Mr Frollo said that gay men who had sex would both contract AIDS because it's a divine punishment," Ventus said, deadpan. "It's not just wrong, it's frankly insulting." After a beat, he added, "Because of how blatantly wrong it is."

"Really? Because Mr Frollo's report mention you were insulted on another behalf."

And there it was. Maybe coming out to his whole class could have been done at a better time than in the middle of an f-bomb-laden rant against his sex ed teacher, but well, it wasn't like Ven could take it back. Blushing, he said, "That's besides the point."

"Is it?" Looking down at the papers again, Merlin said, "Your record is spotless, but I am afraid I will have to keep a trace of this incident."

Ven huffed out a breath, trying to keep himself from blowing up at the principal too. "Sir, you can't just out one of your students on their record—"

"No? It sounded like you were confident enough to proclaim it to the world this morning. Besides, it's only responsible to let any college who considers accepting you know who they are dealing with."

"Which is what, exactly?"

Merlin raised an eyebrow. "Young man, you should feel glad you are not expelled right now." Returning his gaze to the papers, he added, "I will also need to talk to your parents about this."

"You have no right—"

"I very much do, as a matter of fact." Jotting down some notes, he waved Ventus off. "I'll call your parents myself, I'm used to not being able to count on my students to relay my messages. You may go."

Ven's breathing felt out of control, and he was sure he was going to cry if he stayed in this office a minute longer. "Yes, Principal Merlin," he said sullenly as he left the office.

Another student was lingering outside of the principal's office, and raised an eyebrow in surprise when Ventus walked out. Behind him, however, came the principal himself. "Off you go, both of you. Young Vanitas, I trust you know the way to detention, don't you? Take young Ventus with you, will you? I have work to do."

Ven almost panicked more at being left alone with Vanitas. He knew him, of course—by reputation, if nothing else. There weren't many students at Roy Walter High School more emblematic of the problem student, between the piercings, the underage drinking, the very obvious drugs he somehow always got away with using, the attitude problems. The only reason he was still a student here was that he somehow managed to keep his grades about as high up as Ventus's, in spite of the seemingly no shred of effort put towards his studies.

Vanitas smirked at Ven's nervous shuffling. "So. Fell to the dark side, did you?"

"And no talking," Merlin's voice called from his office, but Vanitas just rolled his eyes.

"Come on. I'll show you the way."

Sheepishly, Ven followed him down the hallway. Unsurprisingly, Vanitas resumed talking as soon as they were out of earshot. "So what're you in for?"

"Yelling at Mr Frollo. Yelling and swearing." He eyed Vanitas. "If you ever came to his class, you'd know."

"Yelling and swearing? I didn't even realize the word 'fuck' was even in your vocabulary. I'm impressed."

"Thanks, that means a lot," Ven retorted, deadpan.

Vanitas chuckled at his snark. "Why yell at him?

"Because what he teaches is—" He caught himself, sighed, and decided it didn't matter anymore if he kept his tongue. "Because it's bullshit! And we're supposed to take it? And now he's not just giving bad information about sex, but also peddling straight-up homophobic propaganda?"

"Well, now you know why I don't come to his class." Vanitas paused, then asked, more softly, "Why now, though? Why do you care?"

Ven eyed him suspiciously, then shrugged. His whole class had heard him; the rest of the school would find out soon enough. "Because I'm gay?" he said, defensive. "And I shouldn't have to hear that at school?"

"And you told him all that?" Vanitas let out a slow whistle. "Even more impressed. Though the real surprise is that old Frollo didn't burn you at the stake."

Ven rolled his eyes. "He might as well. Merlin's gonna tell my parents, and make sure it gets to the colleges I apply to."

"I'm pretty sure that's illegal."

"Oh, sure, I'll sue him with my lawyer that I totally have."

Vanitas snorted, but cut himself short. "Sorry. Not funny." Then, to Ven's surprise, he stopped walking—not in front of a classroom where detention might be held, but in the middle of an empty hallway. He turned towards Ventus, and placed his hands on Ven's shoulders. "Listen. If anyone gives you shit because you're gay, you tell me. Okay? Even if it's a teacher. Even if it's your parents?"

Ven blinked at him in surprise and confusion. "What're you—" He shook his head. "What do you care? You don't even know me."

"Promise me you'll tell me, and I'll answer."

The intensity of his look was too much for Ven to withstand. Besides, he could use an ally right now. "Okay. I promise."

Vanitas nodded. "First of all: I do know you. At least a little bit. We've been in the same class basically forever."

"That doesn't mean—"

"I remember how you played by yourself as a kid, before you had friends. And now you're by yourself again. They graduated, right? They were older." Ven nodded, circumspect, and Vanitas continued. "I remember you reading books by yourself a lot. Some of them were my favorite books, so after that—I started reading those books too, because you read them. I remember the way you write, whether it's essays or fiction—how effortless you sound, even if I know how much effort you actually put in them. I know you're pretty ace at sports, but you hold back in PE class because you know people are still not going to pick you for their team because it's about popularity, not skill. I—"

"Okay," Ven said, a little too loud. He gently picked Vanitas's wrist and pushed his hands off his shoulder. "So you're a stalker."

"No I'm not. I'm just observant, and I have a good memory. And I'm also gay."

Ven blinked rapidly again. "You what."

"Sorry, did I go too fast for you? That's why I'm gonna stand by you if you need help. Gotta stick together, right?"

"Oh." That was not how Ven had understood that last part of his speech. He was pretty sure he was still blushing anyway. "Okay. I get it. I think." He was still trying to wrap his mind around Vanitas, troubled bad boy Vanitas, now being the only gay guy his age that he knew.

"Good." Vanitas's serious look faded, replaced by a mischievous smirk. "Now…what do you say we ditch this detention?"

Ven gaped at him. "Why would I do that? I'd get in even more trouble!"

"Nah," Vanitas said, confidently walking away already. "I have blackmail on Mr Boggs. We're good."

"I—" Well, he was already in this much trouble. Even if Vanitas was wrong—or lying—Ven doubted the principal could do much worse to him than what he was already going to. "Y'know what? Fuck it. Sure."

Vanitas turned back to cast a bright grin his way. "Now we're talking."

Sneaking out of school proved easier than Ven had expected, notably because he had never really considered what it would take. As it turned out, all it took was walking out the front door—or at least, doing so with Vanitas by his side, cheerfully saying goodbye to Mrs White as he exited the building. Did he have blackmail on her too? Ven thought it safer not to ask.

"Any plans on how to kill the time?" Vanitas asked as they crossed the parking lot.

"I—haven't really thought that far ahead," Ven confessed.

"Fancy a ride with me?"

Ven turned to him, surprised by the offer. Vanitas stood by his car—a bright red sports model that pretty much the whole school knew from sight. And he was looking at Ven expectantly.

"Is this some kind of—" Ven shuffled hesitantly, frowning. "Is this a sex thing? 'Cause I'm not—Just because I came out to you—"

Vanitas sighed. "I'm just asking you to hang out. Geez."

Seeing the dejected look on his face, Ven relaxed. "Okay. Sure, why not. It's not like I can go home anyway." His mom would notice him coming home, and sooner or later she'd hear that he should have been in detention for a couple of hours.

"Sweet. Hop in."

Ven still hesitated before he climbed into the car. As soon as he was in, though, Vanitas drove off at a speed that was far above reasonable, let alone permitted. Ven held on tight, silently hoping he wasn't going to die.

But after just a few minutes, Vanitas brought the car to a stop. "Home, sweet home."

"You brought us to your place? Won't your family—"

"Relax, Ventus. I live by myself."

Gingerly, Ven followed him out of the car. "By yourself? How do you—"

"Same way I paid for my car. I work for it." He unlocked the door to the apartment complex's main hall, and led Ventus down towards a door on the first floor. "Software, mostly. I've also started an Onlyfans on my birthday, since I'm legal now."

"An—" Ventus choked on the words, then blushed harder when he realized his reaction was a clear giveaway that he knew what that was. Vanitas smirked, indicating he'd come to the same conclusion.

"I'll give you a link, if you want," he said with a wink. As Ven sputtered in vain while looking for a proper response, he laughed and opened the door. "Come on in."

Fighting to regain his composure, Ven steeled himself and followed Vanitas inside the apartment.

"It's not much, but it's home," Vanitas said. He wasn't lying; this was more of a studio, with the bed laid out in front of the entrance, a TV along the wall nearby, and further ahead, a kitchen and a walled space Ven guessed was the bathroom. The walls were painted a rich crimson red, although so much of the wall's surface was covered with posters—of bands, movies, games—that little of it was visible beneath them. A corner bookcase stood on the corner left of the front door, fill to the brim with books and video game boxes. There were a few clothes strewn across the floor, but not so much that Ven was tripping over them. On the nightstand, a bottle of clear and a fuschia dildo were on proud display.

"It's cozy," Ven said, but it felt like a euphemism even though he hadn't meant for it to. "I like it. I wish my space at home could be this personal."

"I bet," Vanitas said, following Ven's gaze to the nightstand. "You're gonna have to tell me how your parents take it when they find out," he said, like it was obvious Ven would do it. "But not right now." He fished into the nightstand drawer, pulling a joint out of it, then took a lighter out of his pocket. Ven stared, transfixed, as he lit up the end, drew smoke into his mouth, then slowly let it out as he exhaled. Only after that did he turn to Ventus. "Don't just stand there," he said, patting the bed next to him.

Ven's nerves were still gnawing at him, but he had come this far willingly; if he was just going to stand awkwardly by the door, he might as well leave. He laid his backpack down by the door, threw his jacket over it, and sat down on the bed next to Vanitas.

"Want a hit?" Vanitas said casually, holding out the joint to Ventus between his index and middle finger.

"I—" He stared at it, wary, yet curious. "I've never—"

"Yeah, I figured," Vanitas said with a soft smile. "You don't have to. I'm just offering, but—no pressure."

"I wouldn't know how to do it." The excuse sounded as weak out of Ven's mouth as it had in his mind.

"I can help."

Vanitas stared at him expectantly, and though Ventus wasn't sure what he meant, he nodded. When he did, Vanitas took the joint to his own lips, and inhaled smoke again. Then, softly, he drew his free hand through Ven's hair, and pulled him closer. Ven froze at the sudden contact, but he understood what Vanitas was doing. He thought he had braced himself for what came next, but in spite of expecting it, his whole body still caught fire when Vanitas brought their lips together. His brain felt like it was malfunctioning, but he remembered at the last moment to breathe in when Vanitas blew smoke into his mouth.

He held the smoke in as long as he could, then released it in a half-cough, blushing out of embarrassment. "That's—" He wasn't sure if the heady feeling he felt was from the weed, or from how close Vanitas was, but he liked it.

"Again?"

Ven met Vanitas's eyes, feeling like he could drown in their molten gold. "Please."

Vanitas blew smoke into his mouth again, and this time, when their lips parted, Ven couldn't help a small whine of disappointment at the separation. The noise took some of the smoke away with it, but Ven was too busy blushing even harder to care.

Vanitas smiled softly, taking a hit for himself. "You're holding out okay for your first time."

"Am I?" He felt like he was collapsing on the inside, though.

"Wanna try it yourself?" He held out the joint again, and Ven considered it for a moment, then shook his head.

"I think I like it better when you do it."

Vanitas smirked. "How would you even know?" Yet in spite of the remark, he obliged Ventus without a word. This time, after he was done blowing and Ven had closed his lips, his mouth lingered, pressed against Ven's. Ventus wasn't sure what it meant, if it was just the drugs mellowing him out or some genuine interest, but he wasn't about to protest.

"Did you really invite me here just to make me smoke weed?" he couldn't help but say with a chuckle.

"No," Vanitas retorted, "I invited you here and I felt like smoking weed. I would have done it without you, too."

"Way to make a guy feel special," Ven whined. Vanitas blew smoke in his face in retaliation, making him cough, but he laughed at that too.

"I can think of better ways to make you feel special," Vanitas said in a low voice.

Ven held his gaze. "Oh yeah? Like what?" He wasn't sure if it was the weed lowering his inhibition, or just the aftereffects of the principal deciding to upend his life over one mistake, but he wasn't backing out now.

Vanitas pulled him in again, bringing their lips together. Ven inhaled the smoke he passed him, then let it all out in a gasp when Vanitas's hand slid beneath his shirt. Vanitas froze then, so Ven put his hand on Vanitas's forearm, drawing him further in. "Don't stop." As he said the words, he summoned all the courage he had, and put his other hand against Vanitas's chest, softly running his fingers as he mapped out the taut muscle under his shirt.

The next time Vanitas came up to pass him smoke was definitely more of a kiss. His tongue followed the smoke into Ven's mouth, and Ven had to pull away as he half-choked. As soon as he regained control of his breathing, though, he erased the look of concern on Vanitas's face by crashing their faces together for a proper kiss.

Vanitas drew his hands back, then took Ven's wrists, guiding his hands under his shirt even as he unbuckled his belt. Ven groped at his skin hungrily, pushing in as far as Vanitas's shirt would let him; under the veritable assault, Vanitas caved, lying back on the bed and allowing Ventus to settle on top of him.

In-between kisses, Vanitas took one more hit from his joint. "You sure you don't wanna try it yourself?"

Ven stared at it, finding it hard to think when his entire body was coursing with lust, and snatched the joint from Vanitas's fingers. He tried to do as he'd seen Vanitas do, still coughed a little, but managed to hold some smoke before letting go. As soon as he did, he tried to take another hit, earning himself a scandalized whimper from Vanitas—which died when Ven bent down to capture his lips and blow smoke into his mouth.

Vanitas's eyes were closed when Ven pushed himself back up; when he blew out the smoke, he open them, looking at Ventus with a content smile. Then he took the joint delicately from Ven's hand, grabbed hold of him, and with unsuspecting force, pulled Ven down into the mattress. Ven yelped, but welcomed the soft feeling of the mattress as he landed on his side, and the warmth of Vanitas in front of him, overwhelming his senses. He grabbed hold of Vanitas's side, running his hand under his shirt and against the warm skin, feeling intoxicated by this simple feeling.

"Is that all you're interested in?" Vanitas said, smirking towards his hand. He gently took hold of Ven's wrist again, and guided him towards the open button at the front of his jeans.

He stopped there, and Ven froze briefly, realizing full well what he was hinting at. But with his pulse raging as hard as it was, he couldn't find it in him to hold back anymore. He tugged at the fabric of the jeans, creating a bigger opening; then he pulled at the waistband of Vanitas's underwear, tugging it down, until the tips of his fingers found his hard cock underneath. Vanitas's breath hitched when Ven's fingers brushed against it, and again when Ven worked to pull it free.

Only half of it made it out of Vanitas's jeans; taking another hit from his joint, Vanitas shimmied to get his pants down until his cock was fully free. Ven couldn't help but look, awed by the very notion that a hot guy was getting naked for him and inviting him to touch his dick. He hadn't really thought he'd ever get this far—let alone as early as his senior year of high school.

Ven was too far gone for inhibitions anymore; he took hold of Vanitas's dick shamelessly, feeling its hardness in his palm, its warmth against his skin, and gave a stroke. Vanitas gasped when he did, then, when Ven gave a second stroke, he came in for another, smoke-filled kiss.

Closing his eyes to savor the taste of his lips and the feeling of the smoke inside him, Ven was taken by surprise when Vanitas's hands worked his own pants open. His eyes flew open, making Vanitas freeze again.

"This okay?" he asked.

"Fuck yes."

With a smile, Vanitas finished his work, releasing Ven's hard cock from his pants and underwear and wrapping his hand around it. Ven's hips immediately bucked of their own accord, his dick trying to find friction at any cost after being trapped for so long, making Vanitas giggle.

As he began stroking Ven, the new sensation compounded to the dizziness Ven already felt, and he let out a strangled noise, grasping at the sheets for balance. That meant letting go of Vanitas's cock, but he didn't seem to mind; instead, he shuffled closer, bringing both their cocks against one another and stroking them at the same time. With his other hand, he took a hit, blew the smoke into Ven's mouth, the another hit for himself. The joint was finally reaching its end, Ven vaguely noticed, and Vanitas tossed it aside, hitting the ashtray on his nightstand with perfect precision.

Ven was too busy moaning and grinding against Vanitas to be impressed. He knew he should pace himself, was already feeling his orgasm build up, but he couldn't stop—not now, not so close, not when Vanitas's breathing was this delightfully short or his lips this soft yet hungry against his own.

He came hard and fast, any noise he could have made swallowed by Vanitas's mouth. He had to broke the kiss as he came down just so he could catch his breath, but that was just as well: next to him, Vanitas gave his own cock a few more, quick strokes, and Ven got to see the look in his golden eyes as he came, the bright glint of adoration that was all for him.

Neither of them moved for a moment, content to catch their breaths and stare into each other's eyes. Then Vanitas pushed himself up on his elbow, looking down at themselves. "Wow," he said. "Look at you. Ventus, class valedictorian, high, dick out and covered in cum on my bed. You make quite a sight."

Ven couldn't help but cringe when he looked down at himself, but he couldn't help but laugh, too. "I must have lost my mind."

"Hmm." Vanitas kissed him—softly, this time, just lips on lips with no hunger behind it. "Clearly."

"My shirt is ruined, though."

"You can borrow one of mine. Although I wonder if your parents would notice."

His parents. Ven cringed again, at the thought of what awaited him back home—even if they didn't know about any of this. "Don't remind me."

"I will," Vanitas said. His serious look had returned, and Ven didn't know how he did it when he himself felt this buzzed from the weed and the orgasm. "Because you also need to remember what I told you before. If they cause any trouble, you come to me."

Ven couldn't help but pout. "Is that the only reason you want me to come to you again?"

Vanitas smirked. "Well. Maybe not the only reason." He kissed Ven again, and glanced at the clock. "We've got at least another hour to kill, and the munchies are about to hit. Let me grab some shirts for us, and I'll get us a snack too."