Disclaimer: I do not own MTR or Disney.

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It was second period, physics. Gaston and Cornelius' teacher was away at some seminar, so the class had a substitute. They were assigned to answer the questions at the end of chapters one through 12. In other words, busy work.

Cornelius slammed his face into his textbook. "It's too early… I can't think." Gaston eyed the blond curiously.

"What's up?" Cornelius looked up at Gaston pitifully.

"I can't believe I'm asking you this, but what are the measurements in Balmer's formula? I'm missing one…" Gaston ticked off the numbers on his fingers.

"Four-ten, 434, 486, and 656 nanometers." Cornelius scribbled furiously in his notebook.

"Thanks," he said absently, "Six fifty-six, that was it…" Gaston examined him closely.

"Are you okay, Robinson? You know this stuff…" Cornelius rubbed his temples tiredly.

"I've been pulling all-nighters on this new thing; it's a… oh, never mind. You'll just laugh." Gaston raised an eyebrow.

"What is it?" Cornelius looked at him.

"It's a robot." Gaston waited a beat before snorting.

"I told you you'd laugh," Cornelius snickered.

"What kind of robot? Are we talking, like, R2D2 robot or like robotic arms, or what?" Gaston asked. Cornelius was idly doodling something in his binder.

"More like… C3PO…" he murmured. Gaston laughed.

"Oh man, tell me you're not making a robo-girlfriend!" Cornelius flushed.

"No, I'm not!" he cried. I have a girlfriend, unlike you!" Cornelius suddenly became very thoughtful. "Speaking of which, what's up with that Billie girl?" Gaston looked up at Cornelius.

"What about her?" he asked. Cornelius shrugged.

"Nothing, it's just you two have been pretty much inseparable for the past two months." Gaston frowned.

"And?" Cornelius rolled his eyes.

"Don't get all defensive Gaston. Just forget what I said." The two had gone back to working for about five minutes when Cornelius broke the silence. "You really like her, don't you?" Gaston sat up quickly.

"What?" he yelped. Cornelius grinned.

"I knew it!" Gaston grabbed him by the front of his sweater.

"Quiet, before someone hears!" he released the younger boy when their teacher started giving them funny looks. "Do you ever mind your own business?" he hissed. Cornelius smirked. "Nope." Gaston sighed.

"If you say anything to her, Robinson, I'll strangle you." Cornelius went back to his notes.

"Whatever."

"Watch it, man. I already let you date my baby sister. Don't test my patience."

"Fine, jeez…" Cornelius muttered. They worked in silence. Gaston looked up at Cornelius.

"… Is it that obvious?" Cornelius didn't look up from his paper.

"Yes," he said. Gaston drummed his fingers on the counter nervously.

"Do you think she knows?"

"She probably has a good idea," Cornelius said, "she's a smart girl." Gaston blushed.

"Yeah, I know." Cornelius decided to change tack.

"Hey, are you sticking around for Art's birthday party next week?" Gaston rolled his eyes.

"He's my brother, what do you think?" Cornelius raised his hands in defense.

"Just asking Gaston." Gaston erased something on his paper.

"Are you going," he asked. Cornelius nodded.

"Yeah, Franny invited me." Gaston huffed. Of course she did.

"You should invite Billie," Cornelius chimed in. Gaston glared at him.

"What are you, a broken record? Enough about Billie!" Cornelius shrugged and flicked through his textbook. Gaston was quiet. Then he looked at Cornelius.

"You really think so?" Cornelius nodded. Gaston tiredly ran a hand through his hair. Cornelius smiled.

>> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

"Favorite food?"

Gaston picked at his nail beds. "Bell peppers," he replied. Billie made a face and scribbled in her notebook. Gaston was helping her out with her English homework in the library. She had to put together a survey.

"Favorite animal?" she asked. "Fireflies… these are just typical questions, Billie. Everyone in your class is going to have the exact same thing." Billie blew her hair out of her eyes.

"Don't care," she muttered, "this thing is due in ten minutes. I forgot to do it last night." Just then, Cornelius took a seat at their table.

"Hey," he said, eyeing Billie's notepad. "What's that?" he asked. Billie looked up at him.

"Homework. Help me out, what is your favorite food and animal?" Cornelius scratched his head.

"It's a tie between tomatoes and peanut butter," he said. Billie looked like her head was about to explode.

"Pick one!" she cried. Everyone in the library glared at her, thoroughly annoyed. Cornelius gulped.

"P-peanut butter," he stammered. Billie scrawled something across her paper.

"And your favorite animal?" she said.

"Frogs…" he said dreamily. Gaston snorted. The bell suddenly rang. Billie slammed her notebook shut and grabbed her backpack.

"Gotta go," she said, pushing her chair in. Cornelius looked over at Gaston. Did you ask her? He mouthed. Gaston shook his head. Cornelius hauled the older boy to his feet and pushed him after her.

"Go!" he hissed.

"Uh, Billie! Wait up!" Gaston called, much to the dismay of the librarian. Gaston followed Billie out the door.

"Walk and talk, Gaston," she said. Gaston had to practically jog to keep up with her.

"So, uh, my brother's birthday is next weekend, and I was wondering if you wanted to go... with me… to his party… because it's his birthday… are you listening to me?" Billie looked up from her notebook.

"Sorry, what?" Gaston sighed.

"Do you want to go to Art's party next week? It's going to be down by the lake. Tons of people are going." Billie turned the corner and stopped at her locker.

"I don't know… I'm not a party person, Gaston." Gaston leaned against the lockers.

"Neither am I. If you don't go, I'll be lonely. We can be antisocial together," he said. Billie smirked at him.

"Won't Franny be there?" she asked. Gaston rolled his eyes. "Yes; and Cornelius, Stanley, scary Lizzie…" Billie pulled out her astronomy book.

"See, you won't be lonely! Everyone we know will be there," she said. Gaston laughed.

"Yeah, but they're just a bunch of nerdy underclassmen." Billie shut her locker and gave the lock a spin.

"Gaston, I'm a nerdy underclassman." Gaston grinned.

"Yeah, but you're not weird-nerdy like them," he said. Billie giggled.

"I'm not weird-nerdy?" Gaston pulled at one of her curls.

"No, you're lovely…" He froze. What had he just said? He quickly released her hair. Billie was looking up him, her eyes wide.

"I… I have to go to class now, Gaston," she said, after a beat. He nodded and took a step back.

"Bye," he said quietly. He turned to go to class. He had made it halfway down the hall when-

"Gaston! Wait!" He turned. Billie nervously tucked her hair behind her ears.

"When is the party?"