Bzzzt

Ivan's phone went off and he reached into his pocket to see who the text was from; whoever it was, he was glad for the distraction from his homework—even if throwing himself into his work had originally been to distract himself from feeling sad and rejected. The text was from Francis, who predictably wanted to know how Ivan asking Yao out had gone.

"Did he say yes?" Francis had waited an hour from when he got to Joan's house to send that text, and he was dying for the answer.

"no" Ivan sighed; hopefully Francis would have some advice, or at least comfort.

"Tell me everything! You can call me if thats easier." Francis had been certain Yao returned Ivan's affections, but even monsieur matchmaker was wrong sometimes.

"no ill just text it. i asked him and he said i was sweet but people would give us shit if we went to the dance together basically" Putting it that way made it seem like no big deal, which maybe it was, Ivan thought.

"Oh! Then you definitely still have a shot! Do you have any idea if he feels the same way~?" Francis smirked to himself; maybe they weren't together yet, but he could still be right.

"no" Great, now Francis had gotten him curious.

"You should find out~ ;)" Oh yes, he was going to set them up one way or another.

"i guess" How was he supposed to go about asking something like that?

"I'll go to the library tomorrow so you two can walk home alone ;)" Francis Bonnefoy, master of all matters of the heart.

"thanks" Ivan was only being halfway sincere with that thank you; things were more than likely to be awkward between Yao and he now.

The next day came, and Yao seemed unaffected by what happened on that walk home. Maybe he just didn't want to draw attention to the matter, Ivan thought. But even when Francis left for the library and the two of them were, as promised, alone, the small boy didn't seem to find the situation awkward.

"Guess it's just us then." Said the Asian as he started walking up the hill.

"Da, I guess so," Ivan debated whether he should ask Yao about his feelings or not...screw it, he wasn't going to chicken out now, "hey I was wondering, if circumstances were different, would you go to homecoming with me? If we would not be made fun of?"

"Oh," Yao was a little surprised, and he wasn't sure what to think of the question, "I don't know, maybe...I guess if being gay wasn't such a big deal I might think about the whole situation differently, you know?" Yao didn't want to think about Ivan as anything other than a friend.

"I think so." Ivan nodded; that was incredibly cryptic, but maybe a little bit of hope for him...maybe. He shoved his hands in his pockets and kept walking quietly.

A/N: I suck, I know, oh my god I've been really blocked with this story, it might end up going unfinished. So sorry...