Been going through old shows I watched as a kid because Disney+ is the best thing in the world. So... this happened the other day while I was watching Lizzie McGuire. I like my boys gay so... here we go.

I Don't Know Why

His eyes lift, watching as the boy walks into the room. Everyone's eyes are on the boy. They always are. Ethan Craft. All the boys want to be him. All the girls just want him. He's tall, he's hot, he's popular, he's nice. He's not the smartest, that's for sure. He's the farthest thing from it. But he's got one of the biggest hearts and he never gives up. He draws everyone to him, like a beacon of light in the darkest sky, like a black hole in the dead of space, like two opposing sides of two magnets, like the hydrogen and oxygen molecules in the H2O chemical compound, like a vacuum… switched on… okay. That one is stupid. But still. The thought behind it is good. His point is… Ethan is… Ethan. That's the only way he can describe the other boy. He's just Ethan.

Ethan greets everyone as he walks by. He smiles, he waves, he nods, he even does a few dorky finger guns. But that's just Ethan. Nice to everyone. He genuinely likes everyone.

"Hey Ethan." Kate jumps up, suddenly blocking Ethan's path to his desk. She smiles and bats her eyes and flips her blond hair. She lets out a high pitched squeaky giggle, bends forward a little, and pushes her boobs together. Kate throws herself at Ethan. She's been throwing herself at him for at least 5 years. Most of the girls have, but Kate takes the cake. At least once a day, Ethan turns her down. He tries to be nice about it. He's always too nice about it. That's why she keeps trying.

Ethan is good with all the girls. He has gone out with a few, once or twice over the years. But he's never dated any of them. He's never had a girlfriend. At least none that anyone knows of, none that he's ever been seen with or talked about. Whenever any of the girls ask him out, he always smiles and laughs. And he says sure, he'll hang out with them. But in his mind, that's all he's doing, hanging out. He never treats it like a real date because he never thinks of it as one.

He's told Kate a million times that he's not interested. But he's too nice about it and she acts like she's obsessed. He's turned Lizzie down a few times, telling her that he thinks she's a good friend, and she finally got the hint. She thought maybe she knew why. And she said as much to her two best friends once. Miranda just shook her head and laughed it off. Because there was no way. Gordo just got quiet and looked away. And they never talked about it again.

Ethan looks like he's trying to fight glaring or snapping at Kate. He really is too nice sometimes. Correction. All the time. He's really too nice just all of the time. So instead, he Just smiles at her. "Good morning, Kate. Class is about to start." He says dismissively. "Better get to our seats." He pointedly walks around her. And the second she is out of his way, she's also out of his thoughts completely.

Kate sinks back down into her seat with a loud harrumph. She crosses her arms and leans back in her seat. And she glares at Claire who stifles a giggle at her once again failed attempt at flirting with the seemingly oblivious Ethan.

Ethan doesn't see and doesn't notice and doesn't care. Kate's off his mind, if she ever even was. He continues down the aisle, smiling at everyone as he goes. Eyes continue watching, never leaving his form as he steadily gets closer. And then Ethan's eyes meet his and there's a different kind of smile on his face. It's hard for others to notice if they've never seen the smile, if they've never received this special smile. Ethan's real smile, one he seldom shows in public. It's a little smaller than his normal everyone smile. It's a little more relaxed. It's a smile he reserves only for him. He steps closer and sits down in the empty desk beside him. Ethan drops his books on the desktop. He leans heavily on the desk and he turns his head and he smiles lazily again. His voice drops a couple octaves, "Good morning, David."

The greeting sounds innocent enough. Everyone always dismisses it as Ethan poking fun at Gordo. He's been known to call Gordo by his real name and not his nickname. Or to call him by his last name, pronouncing it wrong. "Like the floating head guy from Power Rangers." Ethan's never done it in malice. It's just in fun.

Sitting in his seat beside Ethan, Gordon swallows. He smiles back just for a second. Then puts on his normal, bored expression. He nods and he tilts his head. "Mornin." He mumbles out.

Ethan leans a little closer and he whispers the name, "David."

And even though Gordo has answered to the nickname Gordo since he could remember, since he was in elementary school and probably before, since maybe he was in diapers, he still can't help it. The way his given name sounds on Ethan's tongue, the way the other boy says it, sends shivers down his spine. And sends all of his blood rushing south.

Ethan knows he has this effect on Gordo, that he's had the effect on the shorter boy for years. And he just smiles effortlessly, clearly proud of himself. He leans back farther and stretches his hands over his head.

And Gordo watches, no he glares, as he plots his own revenge. He knows just how to rile his secret boyfriend up.

Then Ethan winks at him and blows him a kiss.

And now Gordo is really screwed for the rest of the class as the teacher steps inside.