The weekend has come and Craig finds himself with his friends, hanging out and skipping rocks across a small semi-frozen pond near Token's house.

"You guys wanna go get something to eat?" Clyde asks.

"Yeah, sure," Craig shrugs.

There's one final toss of a small rock before they head off.

"What do you guys want to get?" Token asks.

"Hmmm, I don't know. Burgers?" Clyde suggests.

"Sure," Token nods.

"Okay," Craig agrees.

They walk and talk about some small topics here and there, until Clyde brings up one topic that he seems to feel especially animated about.

"Hey, you guys know what's up with that new guy in our classes?"

"Damien?" Token asks.

"Yeah. There's like… something up with him. I don't know how to explain it, but there's just something… about him."

"You sure you're not just jealous that he's the talk of the school right now, and hogging all the attention of the girls?" Token asks.

" No !" Clyde exclaims, frowning, "Just that—I don't know—he has this like, aura about him or something, that I can't quite put my finger on."

"Riiiiiiiiiiight," Token replies, with an eye roll.

"I'm telling you man! Something's suspicious about him!" Clyde shouts, then looks at Craig, "You know what I mean, right Craig? I saw you talk with him briefly—you get it, don't you?"

Craig hesitates, unsure. Although he knew what Clyde meant, he wasn't sure if engaging in this topic with him would lead to further trouble down the line.

"I… didn't really notice anything strange," Craig replies, "seemed pretty normal to me."

"I'm telling you, you're just jealous that all the attention is on the new guy," Token laughs.

"I'm not jealous!" Clyde huffs, "Anyways, Craig, what were you even talking about with him? It seemed like you were trying to get his attention quite a bit when he first joined."

"Oh that, uh…"

"Speak of the devil," Token chuckles.

Walking down the street from the opposite way, was Damien, the person of their current topic.

"Him!" Clyde gasps.

"Dude, calm down," Token mutters.

It doesn't take long for Damien to notice them, and once he does, he offers a wave.

"Is… is he waving at us?" Clyde asks, confused.

"I think he is," Token replies.

Craig remains silent, he knew who that wave was meant for. Him. But has no idea how to react to it. As they near Damien, a strange sense of some sort bubbles its way through Craig. Which only grows all the more, when Damien speaks.

"Why hello there Craig, how are you doing?" he greets.

"I'm good," Craig replies quietly, ignoring his friends' stares.

"That's good to hear," Damien smiles.

"Ummm—excuse me a moment—hold up," Clyde interjects, then gestures with his finger between them, "I don't mean to be rude or anything, but uh—is there something that we're missing here? Because you two seem quite friendly—and we have no idea when this happened!"

"Oh? Did Craig not tell you?" Damien asks.

"Tell us what?" Clyde asks back.

"Me and Craig here used to be friends when we were younger."

Both Clyde and Token look at Craig surprised.

"Really?" Clyde asks.

"Yes," Damien replies.

"Craig never told us that," Clyde says.

"There never was a right time to bring it up," Craig replies, averting his gaze.

It wasn't a complete lie, there really hadn't ever been a time that seemed right to talk about it. That along with the other reason as to why he never did. One of which he knew that Damien was well aware of.

"Well no matter, it was a rather long time ago, so it wouldn't make much sense to talk about it, I suppose," Damien says and Token and Clyde glance at one another.

"I guess that's true," Token shrugs.

"Where are you all headed?" Damien asks.

"We're getting some food," Token replies.

"Oh, that sounds nice."

"Did you uh… want to join us?" Token asks, earning a small elbow from Clyde.

"Oh no, I wouldn't want to impose on you all," Damien chuckles.

"I mean it's no problem, we're just getting food," Token shrugs.

"Well, only if you all don't mind."

"It's fine," Craig replies, feeling his gaze on him.

"Whatever," Clyde sighs, "can we just get going? I'm hungry."

"Well then let's go, shall we?" Damien suggests.

As they head off, there's a small squabble exchanged between Token and Clyde in hushed whispers, while Damien walks beside Craig.

"I didn't expect to see you today," Craig tells him.

"Neither did I," Damien smiles.

"What were you up to before we came across you?"

"Just out for a stroll," Damien replies, "sometimes going for a nice walk, helps with clearing thoughts and all that."

"Clearing thoughts?" Craig repeats and Damien hums in response.

There's a brief pause.

"I spoke with him," Damien says.

"Him?"

"Yes, you know who."

It takes a moment, but when Craig realizes what he means, surprise crosses his features.

"Really?" Craig asks and Damien nods.

Craig wanted to ask more, but not while his friends were close by. He knew that despite walking a few steps behind them, that they were more than likely listening in on them. So he doesn't ask anymore and they continue on until reaching the fast food place.

Once they order their food they head to a park, since today was one of those weird mild-winter days, they decide to eat outside. Although in Craig's case, drink, as he wasn't feeling particularly hungry. Clyde finishes eating first, as usual, then grows bored of waiting for the others to finish, so he heads for the play structure and challenges himself to run through it as fast as he can.

"He's quite the ball of energy," Damien says, seeming amused.

"He's going to end up puking or injuring himself," Craig deadpans.

"You say that as if it's new," Token snorts.

And as if on cue, a loud thud is heard, only to find Clyde now hanging off the side of the structure by his ankle.

"How in the ever living fuck…" Craig mutters, genuinely confused.

"I'll go check on him," Token sighs.

Craig watches as Token approaches Clyde, shaking his head at the abysmal scene set before him.

"Your friends are quite the lively bunch," Damien says, crossing his arms.

"They are indeed," Craig replies with a shake of the head.

"If you have any questions to ask, now's your chance," Damien says and Craig looks back at him.

For a moment he doesn't know what he means, then recalls what he had told him earlier.

"Did you… really talk to Kenny?"

"Yes," Damien smiles.

"How'd it go?"

"Quite well I think. He's willing to talk with me again."

This surprises Craig even further to learn, as he was certain that Kenny wasn't willing at all to speak with Damien even once, let alone a second—or any more times afterwards. But maybe he too had similar feelings and thoughts about Damien's return.

"That's… good I guess," Craig replies, not really knowing what else to say.

"Maybe next time, you can join us?" Damien suggests.

"Maybe, but I don't know if…"

"I think it should be fine," Damien smiles, "it would be nice to have the three of us sit down for a nice chat after so long."

There's a light twist in Craig's chest at the thought, but he doesn't let it dwell and moves his thoughts elsewhere.

"Also," Damien continues on, "you said you were in other relationships before the last? I'm curious to know, how many have you been in?"

"Huh?"

"You don't have to answer of course, I'm only curious."

Craig didn't know where this was coming from, but he didn't really mind answering.

"I don't know, a few I guess," he shrugs,

"A few?"

"Yeah, like… five or six, I guess? Most of them were pretty short-lived though, so I don't even know if they count or not."

"I see," Damien murmurs.

"See what?" Craig asks, confused.

Damien pauses, then looks at Craig and smirks.

"Since you've been in so many relationships, then that must mean…"

"Must mean…?"

"That you're pretty good at kissing now."

"Wha—" Craig freezes, he hadn't known what he meant at first, but in the split second he does, his face instantly heats.

"Perhaps you'll have to show me some time," Damien teases.

Craig's face heats more, unable to properly respond.

"What's so funny?" Clyde asks, upright on his feet now, and walking back over with Token.

"Well you see—"

Damien doesn't get the chance to finish, before Craig quickly clasps a hand across his mouth in a flustered attempt to silence him.

"Nothing!" Craig quickly says, "It's nothing but a dumb joke!" he gets an understandable odd look from the two because of his brash action, "Trust me, you guys don't want to hear it. It really is terrible."

"Oh, uhhhh, okay," Token says.

Craig can feel Damien's mouth shift into a smile underneath his hand, which causes him to scowl in return. He then lets out a sigh and removes his hand, walking over to the trash to toss his now empty drink out.

"Craig may not think it's worth telling, but I do," Damien continues and Craig instantly shoots a look back at his smug face, "so as I was saying—"

Before another word can be uttered from his lips, Craig quickly rushes back over and grabs Damien by the arm, pulling him back so hard he stops talking.

"So Clyde—how are you feeling? You okay?" Craig asks, changing the topic.

"Uhh, yeah, just a small scrape," Clyde replies.

"Is that so? Well I'm glad that you're okay then," Craig says and quickly tries to come up with something to get out of this situation, "hey guys listen, me and Damien here are going to head off now, we have something to take care of."

"We do?" Damien asks, looking very amused.

"Yes. We do." Craig nearly grits out, "You're going to help me with that one thing. Remember?"

"Hmmm, one thing?" Damien asks back, smirking, causing Craig to tightly squeeze his arm, "Ah, right, that."

"Yeah, so sorry we have to leave so soon," Craig says.

"Oh, no worries," Token says, "you have to do… whatever it is that you have to do I guess."

"Yeah, I'll see you guys later," Craig quickly adds, heading off with Damien.

"Sure man, later," Token says after them.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Craig asks, once he and Damien are a good distance away.

"By whatever do you mean?" Damien smiles.

"You know exactly what I mean," Craig glares, "what you were about to say back there!"

"Say? I wasn't going to say anything."

The smile across Damien's face grows and Craig almost feels the desire to slap it off.

"You knew exactly what you were doing…" Craig mutters.

"One shouldn't go around making such quick assumptions about the other," Damien tells him, "I'd never break my word you know." Craig doesn't reply though and only continues dragging Damien along. "My, you can be quite strong when you want to be," Damien chuckles, "can I ask how long you intend to hold onto me for? Not that I mind of course, just curious. Also, where exactly are we headed?"

At that, Craig lets go of him and stops walking.

"I don't know," he sighs, "look, I know I said I wouldn't mind catching up and talking with you again. But can we please leave out others that have nothing to do with it?"

"You mean with us?" Damien clarifies.

"…Yes," Craig replies, ignoring the odd sensation those words stirred.

"Why?"

"Because we don't need to make things overly complicated by pulling them in as well," Craig sighs.

"So you'd prefer it stayed just us then?"

"I…" Craig trails off.

He wasn't trying to say that Damien should never hang around when he was with his friend group, but there was something, something he couldn't quite explain for why he didn't want them to interact much. Was it because of the past? Was he trying to protect them? Or was he trying to protect Damien from them? He didn't know. But the way he had phrased things, made it seem like he only wanted to be around him when no one else was. Damien hadn't actually done anything bad for him to warrant this, which only made him feel guilty about it.

"If you do not wish for me to be around your other friends, I don't mind. In fact, I prefer it more when it's just us and we can talk. No need to feel bad about it," Damien tells him, but Craig remains silent, unsure of what to say, "why don't we head to my house?" Damien suggests, "I think I've gotten enough of a stroll for now."

Having nowhere else in mind to go, Craig agrees and they make their way there.

Entering Damien's house again, sends yet another wave of nostalgia through Craig, old memories playing out as he makes his way into the main hallway behind Damien.

"You can take a look around if you'd like," Damien tells him.

"No, it's fine I just…"

"It's alright, I'm sure that you're curious to take a look around. It has been a long time after all," Damien says and turns, "here, I'll give you the house tour if you'd like," he gestures then and heads off.

Craig hesitates for a few seconds but follows after him, not wanting to just stand there.

The corridors resound with memories as they walk through them. Each room they pass by, replaying old events from the past and buried memories of those that were more faded from mind. The old Victorian architecture of elegantly intricate carved door frames, hallway bordered walls and stairways felt as if Craig were in another world and time; just as it had back then. And just like the living room, everywhere else seemed as if it had remained untouched. Frozen in a moment of time.

They eventually come across a dark wooden door leading to a room which Craig had never entered in the past. Damien's bedroom. He couldn't quite recall as to why Damien would never let them in as kids, but supposed it didn't really matter much now, since Damien opens it casually for him. There's some anticipation when the door first creaks open at what may lie on the other side, but it quickly fades when the room is fully revealed. It's very ordinary looking, and Craig isn't sure if he's disappointed by it or not.

"This is the only room that I changed around a bit," Damien says as they enter, "although not much, as it was only the bed being upgraded to a bigger one."

Craig's gaze is drawn to it at the mention of that. Part of him wondered what the room had looked like before, but supposed it was something that would forever be lost in time now.

There are faint footsteps as Damien walks up behind him and places his hands on his shoulders with a gentle squeeze.

"Want to test it out?" Damien asks, quietly, his breath brushing lightly against his cheek.

"Test? Why would I need to test it out? I'm not tired," Craig replies, confused, and Damien chuckles.

"That's not quite what I meant, but alright."

It doesn't dawn on Craig what he means right away, but once it does, he quickly looks back at him, eyes now wide.

"You are just as fun as ever to tease I see," Damien laughs then lets go, "come, let's head back to the living area."

As he heads off, there's a faint burn that dances across Craig's face while he follows him back down the halls.

On the way to the living area, Craig becomes aware of something he hadn't really noticed till their silent walk through the halls.

"Are you living here alone?"

"Yes," Damien replies, "I'm quite old enough to handle myself now, so there's no need for a butler, or maid, or any of that."

Craig glances around the big house as his thoughts dwell on those words. He can't help but wonder why Damien was living here alone. Did he not feel any type of loneliness? Despite there being no traces of him seeming to feel that way, Craig can't help but feel sad by the thought of it.

They make their way to the living room and Craig takes a seat while Damien suggests that they have some tea and heads off to make it. A short while later he returns with it. Craig isn't a big fan of tea, but takes a cup anyway since Damien had gone through the trouble of making it. He's surprised to find it doesn't taste that bad when taking a sip of it.

"It's a family blend," Damien says, when seeing Craig's reaction to it.

"It's nice," Craig tells him, and Damien smiles.

"So tell me Craig, did you enjoy the small tour back down memory lane?"

"It was… interesting, I suppose."

"Is that so? Well I'm glad that it gave you some type of feeling," Damien says, taking a sip from his cup.

It's quiet, but a sense of calmness fills the air with an inkling of nostalgia that swirls through it. It's nice, in a way, harmonious even. And something else… Something that Craig couldn't quite place his finger on.

A bit more of chatter is exchanged between them, before Craig decides to head off.

"I guess I'll see you around then," Damien says, taking Craig's now empty cup from his hand. There's a light brush of his hand as he does so, but Craig pays it no mind.

"Yeah," he replies.

With that, their time spent together that day comes to a close.