Rose fell into a schedule after school started. After the first day, she'd made a point to find Kanaya on Facebook, but the two hadn't spoken much outside of class, and Rose was more or less just going about her business. Every day was similar—go to class, come home, deal with Mom or Roxy or both, practice violin, and then do homework until it was time to figure out a plan for dinner. Enough time passed that Rose was beginning to think about Homecoming, though admittedly it was a bit pre-emptive, but they were beginning to tack the walls with posters, and it was possible that Rose had a particular girl in mind. On some Monday, John suddenly got an idea during lunchtime.
"Hey guys, why don't we sit with Karkat and his friends? I think we've all met at least one of them, right?" he said. Rose was, admittedly, guilty of making eyes at Kanaya, who happened to sit with Karkat, who Rose had learned was the grouchy boy from the beach. She wasn't sure why John was seemingly suddenly interested in becoming friends with him, but Rose was not one to argue, as she very much wanted an excuse to get over to that lunch table.
"I think that's an excellent idea, John, Rose said. She picked up her lunch bag, following John as he waved very excitedly at Karkat, Jade and Dave approaching the table behind her.
"Hey Karkat!"
"I'm sorry, did I fucking invited you to sit here, Egbert?"
Dave shifted from behind Rose. "Oh fuck no, you three?" he said. "These are the pricks from my Spanish class."
"Come on, Dave, Karkat isn't so bad!" John said, clearly disregarding what Karkat had to say about the matter.
"Whatever," Dave muttered as he took a seat, the other three following suit. Rose managed to wedge herself across from Kanaya, next to a boy with a blond streak in his otherwise light brown hair.
"Bonjour, mademoiselle," she smiled at Kanaya.
"B-bonjour," Kanaya muttered. "Comment allez-vois?"
Well, now would be a good time to ask, no? "I have just been wondering, quel es ton… Pesterchum handle?"
"Oh!" Kanaya reached into her bag for a piece of paper and scrawled her Pesterchum handle onto it. Rose could have swore she felt her heart flutter when Kanaya smiled up at her.
"grimAuxiliatrix," Rose read. "Well, I will have to put this to use."
As she began to leave for her next class, Rose found herself pulled over by the boy she'd been sitting next to—Eridan Ampora, she'd managed to pick up, also managing to pick up that this wasn't his real name, that this was the boy who'd had Roxy change his name in the computer systems for whatever reason, and if she wagered a guess based on the way Eridan carried himself, she'd say that reason was because he was trans.
"You're a Lalonde?" he immediately accosted her. Rose was notably caught off guard by his abrasive way of asking, but she did simply nod at him.
"Yes, I am," she answered, voice level.
"Alright, I wager you know my damn secret then."
"Roxy wasn't specific, but yes, I do manage to put two and two together."
"Well if you're gonna be hangin' out with my crew, you gotta swear not to tell anyone."
"I assure you, I am not in the business of outing people against their will."
Eridan huffed at her, crossing his arms across his chest. "Fine. Well… fine," he muttered, before making his way to his own class, as Rose did the same.
That evening, she made use of the slip of paper that Kanaya had given her.
tentacleTherapist [TT] has requested to be chums with grimAuxiliatrix [GA]
tentacleTherapist [TT] and grimAuxiliatrix [GA] are now chums!
tentacleTherapist [TT] began pestering grimAuxiliatrix [GA]
TT: I hope you won't find me to be too forward.
GA: What do you mean
TT: Oh, just that not everyone receives my… let's say curiousity as well as you have.
Well, that was a way to put it. Rose supposed she did come on a bit strong at times, but Kanaya took it very well.
GA: Oh, well
GA: Truth be told I am curious about you as well
TT: Oh?
GA: Uh yes
GA: Your understanding of the French language is quite exceptional
GA: Have you studied it before
TT: Not exactly.
TT: My mother is from France.
TT: She spoke it quite frequently with me and my sister while we were growing up.
GA: Ah I see
TT: You're getting quite good at it yourself.
GA: Really?
GA: I thought I was a bit clumsy with it
TT: Your accent and pronunciation is excellent.
GA: Oh
GA: If you say so
TT: If you don't mind me asking, you already have an accent, correct?
TT: A non-American one, that is.
GA: Yes I attended a boarding school in London rather than an elementary school here
GA: I guess the manner of speaking just stuck with me
TT: Understandable.
TT: I hope it wasn't rude of me to ask.
GA: Oh no not at all
GA: I'm aware of how I stick out even in my own family
TT: What do you mean?
GA: My father has an Indian accent and my sister sounds American
GA: And my cousins and uncle sound American as well
TT: "American" is broad.
GA: Right well Californian I suppose
TT: So why did your parents send you abroad and not your sister?
GA: That is something I have never understood
TT: Interesting.
TT: You mentioned your cousins?
GA: Karkat and his brother are my cousins
GA: By adoption I mean
GA: Our grandmother adopted their father after moving to America with my mother
GA: Apparently he was living on the streets
TT: That's terrible!
GA: He doesn't like to talk about it
GA: Bad history
GA: My family is very large and complicated but enough about that
GA: What about your family
TT: There's not really much to it.
TT: It's me and my mother and sister
TT: I had an aunt but we're not really sure what happened to her.
TT: She's way older than my mom—approximately 20 years.
TT: Family gossip dictates that she got knocked up, more than once, but her oldest is around my mother's age.
TT: I guess they were born around the same time?
TT: So as a result my mother grew up with her nephew around until her sister moved to Texas.
TT: And had Dirk, and Dave, and after Dave was born my aunt disappeared.
TT: "Bro" became the de facto guardian.
GA: So you and Dave are cousins?
TT: Yes.
TT: Though we never actually met each other until a few years ago.
TT: Bro moved here from Texas to try and make even more ground with his… unusual business.
TT: But that's Dave's story to tell.
TT: There was something more pressing I wanted to ask you.
GA: Oh?
TT: Yes.
TT: Are you aware of the upcoming dance?
Okay, pre-emptive indeed. The Homecoming dance was in mid-October; there hadn't even been a turn of the calendar yet. But Rose was sort of nervous she'd lose her nerve.
GA: Yes.
TT: Well, the thought occurred to me that
Fuck. Rose was suddenly struck with the realization that, she didn't actually know if Kanaya was gay. What an embarrassing faux pas. And… well, she didn't want to put Kanaya in the awkward position of either having to turn her down or being otherwise uncomfortable. Damn. Rose tapped at her keyboard again.
TT: Actually, nevermind.
TT: I didn't think that through before sending it. Sorry.
GA: No what were you going to ask
TT: Please, don't worry about it.
TT: See you tomorrow?
GA: Uh
GA: Yes see you tomorrow
tentacleTherapits [TT] ceased pestering grimAuxiliatrix [GA]
That was embarrassing. Unfortunately for Rose, answers were not provided for her, and the weeks passed. More and more flyers for Homecoming went up and she was only more ashamed of her inability to speak romantically to a girl she found attractive. It seemed she wasn't the only one having this problem, though, as, after some time had passed, John messaged her with a similar dilemma.
ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering tentacleTherapist [TT]
EB: hey rose
EB: you've been seeing those fliers around school, right?
TT: I presume you're referring to the posters advertising the Homecoming dance.
TT: In which case, yes, I have been seeing them around.
EB: i want your opinion on something
EB: i was going to ask someone to go to the dance with me
TT: If you don't mind me prying, John, may I ask who?
EB: vriska
TT: Really…
Rose couldn't say she'd interacted much with Vriska, but she didn't exactly strike Rose as being a great match for John. Vriska was… sharp. Harsh and blunt. John had his moments, he wasn't always the most considerate, but there was no doubt that it was ignorance rather than arrogance, whereas Vriska seemed to be much the opposite.
EB: yeah but i kind of chickened out
TT: If it's any consolation, John, I find myself in a similar situation.
EB: rose you were gonna ask a boy to homecoming? :O
EB: that's so cool that youre not waiting for someone to ask you
TT: Well, I never was one for gender conformity.
TT: But I haven't been able to muster up the courage yet.
See, this was the sort of thing Rose meant. While she'd never come out explicitly to John (he was the one in the circle of friends who didn't know about the others; Jade had confided the fact of her aromanticism in Rose and Dave over the summer and Dave was in a place where he wasn't ready to say anything yet—or perhaps he had said something to Jade, but certainly not to John) she still didn't care for the fact that John was kind of heteronormative. Still, it was relatively harmless, so she chose not to say anything in the moment.
EB: oh man
EB: guess we're in the same boat
TT: You realize you don't have to have a date?
EB: yeah but
EB: i don't really want to go alone to be honest
TT: Well if nothing else, John, I will accompany you to the dance.
Rose let out a sigh as she wrote this, but it would be better for them than both of them stressing out over not being able to ask out who they wanted to go with. Besides, these things were usually more fun with friends, right?
EB: rose!
TT: In a strictly platonic sense, of course.
EB: no, i just mean that
EB: what if you end up really wanting to ask this guy?
TT: Crushes come and go, John.
TT: Excuse me for being sappy, but friendships are forever.
EB: aw rose
EB: i guess i will take you up on that offer
EB: i like vriska but she intimidates me a bit
EB: i don't think ill be able to ask her in time
TT: Yes, she does have that effect.
ectoBiologist [EB] ceased pestering tentacleTherapist [TT]
turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering tentacleTherapist [TT]
TG: so youre going to the dance with egbert?
TT: Yes.
TT: As I told him, it is strictly platonic.
TG: oh
TT: Neither of us have what it takes to ask someone out, it seems.
TG: yeah im right there with you
TT: You were going to ask someone?
TG: karkat
TT: Oh, really?
TG: yeah why do you seem so surprised
TT: I don't know, I guess I thought you were more interested in Terezi.
TG: nah i mean terezi is cool and all but
TG: i dont think we jive together in that way
TT: I see.
TG: but i also think kk is into her so
TT: Oh.
TT: I'm sorry.
TG: nah its fine
TG: got this far in life on my own didnt i?
TG: no big deal
turntechGodhead [TG] ceased pestering tentacleTherapist [TT]
Oh, Rose sort of envied Roxy in this moment, how Roxy didn't have to deal with the drama that accompanied these sorts of school events. But Roxy was, in fact, dealing with the drama that accompanied those sorts of school events.
timaeusTestified [TT] began pestering tipsyGnostalgic [TG]
TT: Okay, so.
TT: I think I am going to ask Jake to Homecoming.
TG: WHAT
TT: What?
TT: You're the one saying I need to act on my feelings instead of keeping everything all close to the chest.
TG: yeh but
TG: u sure u wanna be ostentatious about it
TG: n make homecoming this big thing?
TT: It's our last Homecoming.
TT: I kinda thought it was a big thing?
tipsyGnostalgic [TG] began pestering gutsyGumshoe [GG]
TG: ALART ALART ARLART AL*ERT AL*ART
TG: hugely important cornespondence
TG: paging doctor crocker
TG: rolal to docrock
GG: Roxy! I was just about to message you.
GG: What is this urgent thing about?
TG: i gotta tell you something u need to know before its too late
GG: Before what's too late?
TG: you and jake hookin up stupid!
GG: You're a mind reader.
TG: this is about turnin all your steamydreamz in to STEAMAY REALTITIES
TG: ***realities lolo
TG: whereins jc + je kiss & hug loads 33,3,33380!
TG: i can't decide whether this mental image porcolating here is hot as shit or cute as fuck
GG: Did you hear something from Dirk, is that why you're messaging me about this?
TG: yah dude!
TG: this is serious you need to tell him how u feel VERY SOON
TG: or you might miss your chance
TG: i found out today taht dirks gonna make a move
GG: A move? You mean a romantic one?
TG: yes
TG: ON JAKE!
GG: Oh. Ohhh.
GG: Poor Dirk!
TG: what do you mean
GG: Well, surely when he reveals his feelings, Jake will…
TG: ?
GG: I mean… he couldn't possibly…
TG: wut
TG: repriprocate?
GG: Yes?
TG: janey if u dont think jake could be gay what have you been worried about this whole time?
GG: Are you saying he is?
TG: im sayin that i dont fuckin know
TG: kid is a goggamn egnigma
TG: if dirk lets on all his feelins there is at least a CHANCE jake will go like DERP OK DUDE LETS MAKE OUT
TG: and that means poor jane is screwed without ever even throwing her filthy old fedora in the ring
TG: it is a ring i lke ot call TEH ENGLISH SPEEPSTAKES
TG: and if u dont youll regret it
TG: and i mean
TG: OFFICIALLY?
TG: i cant have a horse in the race
TG: wait bad metaphor ebcause of dirk and his fuckin horstes n/m
TG: like you are both my friends and im not out to mess him up or anything
TG: but i kinda owe it to you as my friend to let you know whats up
TG: and also to get you to stop being such a WORLD CHAMPION TIGHTASS
TG: and let jake know
GG: Oh, not this tightass baloney again.
TG: jane
GG: What?
TG: jaane..
GG: ..
TG: jc your are the tightassiest tightass who ever tightened up an ass
GG: No way!
GG: So ridiculous. :P
TG: im not sayin be an idiot and start gushin at him incoherentry
TG: but do SOMETHING
TG: say how u feel
TG: or flirst a bit or such
TG: goddamn ANYTHING other that a bunch of bullshitty pining and tightassy NOTHING
GG: Fine.
GG: Just…
GG: I need to think of what to say and wait for the right moment.
TG: just dont wait too long
TG: and dont underestimate striders wiles
TG: nor jakes…
TG: lets say
TG: open mindedness?
GG: Well,
GG: He does often profess his love for adventure, I suppose.
GG: OMG.
GG: I really don't have a moment to spare, do I?
TG: ur finally gettin it.
TG: now go
tipsyGnostalgic [TG] has ceased pestering gutsyGumshoe [GG]
TT: Roxy?
TG: sry
TG: was talkin 2 janey
TT: About?
TG: homecoming stuff
TT: You told her I was going to ask Jake, didn't you?
TG: nooooo
TG: it was dress things
TG: promise
TT: …
TT: Alright…
TG: im not sayin u shouldn't aske jake
TT: Really? Because it sure seems like that's what you're saying.
TG: i jus
TG: dunno if homecoming is the best format tbh
TT: Listen, Rox, you know I respect your opinion and usually heed your advice
TT: But I think I've made my mind up about this one.
TG: urgh
TG: dirkieeeee
timaeusTestified [TT] is offline!
TG: gdi
tipsyGnostaligic [TG] ceased pestering timaeusTestified [TT]
tipsyGnostalgic [TG] began pestering gologthasTerror
TG: so
TG: heds up
TG: janes gonna talk to u bout some SHIET tomorrow
GT: Oh
GT: Okay?
GT: About anything in particular
TG: cant rly say
TG: jus wanted you to knowwwww
GT: Alright then
GT: Is it like a feelings talk
TG: jakeeeeee
TG: i cant get into specifics here i s2g
GT: Alright alright
tipsyGnostalgic [TG] ceased pestering golgothasTerror [GT]
Roxy let out a long sigh and poured herself a martini as Rose came into the kitchen, wordlessly, and sighed at Roxy.
"Where's Mom?" Rose asked.
"She's gotta book signing tonight I think?"
"Mm," Rose murmured, scavenging for something for dinner. Cereal—well, it would do. "Are you hungry?"
"Nuh," Roxy said, taking another slurp of her drink.
"Rox, if you're going to drink, you should really eat something." Roxy was too distressed by the love triangle her friends were forming to really even think about eating, even though she knew Rose was right. Instead, she picked up her glass and sat cross-legged on the living room floor as she booted up the GameCube. Rose rolled her eyes.
Roxy was in class the next day when she got an update from Jane.
gutsyGumshoe [GG] began pestering tipsyGnostalgic [TG]
GG: That's it, Rox.
GG: I blew it.
TG: wut
GG: I'll have to call you later.
TG: ye im in class rn but we'll have the chatsies 2niet
tipsyGnostalgic [TG] ceased pestering gutsyGumshoe [GG]
Rose was not surprised in the slightest to discover Feferi was the most enthusiastic in the group about events, and so she was not surprised when Feferi brought up Homecoming.
"Boys, who're you all gonna ask? Or have you already?" she asked one day during lunch. The boys sort of awkwardly tripped over themselves until Gamzee spoke.
"I ain't asking nobody, gonna go with my motherfuckin' self and have a good time," he said.
"O-oh," Feferi faltered. "Um, what about you, Karkat?" Rose was curious about this as well, if Dave's hunch was correct.
"Don't put me on the spot!" And Karkat's eyes did indeed flick over to Terezi. "What about you, princess? Who are you going with?"
"Oh, I already told Eridan I would go with him," Feferi answered.
"Not worth the time." That was Vriska's biting voice. "He's such a fucking pain; I can't believe I ever dated him."
"Because you were so fuckin' peachy, right, Vris?!"
"Eridan, hush," Feferi cooed. "He's not so bad. Anyway, what about you, John?"
"I, uh…" John turned a bit red and Rose decided to speak up for him, and perhaps spare him some embarrassment.
"John and I will be attending together. He never got the nerve up to ask anyone, and neither did I." Rose's eyes flitted very quickly over to Kanaya.
"'s cool, bro," Dave said. "I wasn't gonna ask anyone to be my date either." Oh, the fuck you weren't, Dave, Rose thought. "I'm with Gamzee on that one."
"Yeahhhhh," Gamzee slurred, reaching across the table to give Dave a fist-bump. Rose was more than a little fascinated by the group dynamics, and it sure would make for an interesting time.