It was just about dinner time when Jesse finally returned.
Atticus tackled him at the door. "Well?!" he asked, eager.
There was a bandage around his right hand and a band aid on his left cheek. Other than that, it looked just like the normal Atticus. Zane was seated nearby, his legs crossed and his arms crossed tightly to his chest.
Jesse managed to wrangle Atticus off of him. "Why do you care?"
"You were gone nearly all day." Atticus looked at Jesse with a pout. "I wanna know if it went well!"
Jesse sighed and sat down on his bed. Zane stood up from the desk. The dorm seemed smaller when Zane and Atticus were standing side-by-side. "Nothing. After Zane called, Jim and I just dueled and talked. It wasn't anything big...."
"That's it?!" Atticus sounded exasperated. "Do you ever try?!"
Jesse sighed and moved back so his head was on his pillow. His old habit of sleeping with his shoes on when he'd be too tired to undress. He felt Atticus grab his foot and quickly rolled over and raised up on his elbows. "Hey!"
"No sleeping with your shoes on."
Zane climbed on the bed and held Jesse, while Atticus took off Jesse's shoes. The blue-haired boy struggled hard, but Zane was bigger and stronger, so, he gave up. He looked up at Zane and shrank. Zane's eyes were steely and mean. He looked over at Atticus and he felt better. Atticus' eyes were kind, warm, and friendly. Complete opposite of Zane.
"How do you deal with him?" Jesse asked.
Atticus smiled. "Well, to be honest, I just learn to live with it. Don't be scared. He's a pro duelist. I just roll with the punches."
Jesse felt Atticus take his socks off and he yelped. "Hey! Stop that! Dun do that!"
Atticus smiled. "Oh, you're ticklish?"
"GAH! No! Don't tickle me! Stop!"
Jaden was rotted to the spot and he and Zane had locked eyes. "Did... why.... huh?!"
Jesse managed to grab Zane's shoulder and escaped behind the other blue-haired boy. Atticus hugged Zane around the waist. Jesse climbed into Hasselberry's bed and sprawled out. "I just want some sleep."
Zane reached up and grabbed Jesse's ankle, dragging him off the bed. He collapsed on his own bed and quickly dodged Atticus' jump attack. He stumbled back and hit Jaden, and the duo stumbled out onto the balcony. Jesse was sprawled across Jaden's lap. He noticed Jaden was shaking and looked up.
Jaden was laughing. "Aha, sorry. I was laughing because they're so hard on you. Sorry." Jaden managed to stifle the next laugh.
Jesse just smiled and reached up. He patted Jaden on the head. "Okay." He suddenly noticed Jim and smiled at the Aussie. "Hey! Mind if I sleep in your room?!"
Jim didn't say anything, he just stared up at Jesse. He shrugged. "If you haven't got another place to sleep, mate!"
Jesse found that the sofa in Jim's room to be quite comfy and fell asleep quickly.
Jim was staring at the sleeping boy. The more he stared the more he thought Jesse could've been a girl. He crawled off the bed and walked up to Jesse. He decided it was easier if Jesse were in the large bed with him, since the blue-haired boy could take up the room left over from Shirley and Jim.
Scooping up the boy, Jim tucked him into the blankets as Shirley climbed into her usual position smack-dab in the middle of the bed. Jim climbed into bed and had just turned off the light when he felt Shirley readjust herself to lie across the bottom. Jim looked down and then felt Jesse roll over and his hand land on Jim's sleeve.
Looking at Jesse, he watched as Jesse's somewhat small hand took a fist full of his sleeve and held on. Jim felt heat flush his face and he rolled over so he was facing Jesse. He put his hand on Jesse's and watched the boy's face.
Sleep drifted over him and he closed his eyes.
Nothing could replace that moment.