[color=lightgray][right][sub]TIMESTAMP: Immediately following Risky Business
The Morning Show Studio, School Media Wing
Introducing ⅔ of the Hosts of the Morning Show
[color=c45508]Sullivan “Sully” Harper[/color] and [color=28e0af]Gavriel “Rye” Shomer[/color][/sub][/right][/color]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/l382d1o.gif[/img][/center]


[color=lightgray][indent][indent]Standing at the refreshment table, stirring the disgusting amount of sugar Rye required into the boy’s coffee cup, Sully couldn’t help but wonder if he really was invisible sometimes or if Jamie and Trixie just thought they were exempt from being overheard by those around them. Even someone that simply floats through the day to day like himself knows that if you want to keep things a secret, don’t speak a word of it near the Media wing. He finished making Rye’s coffee and moved on to DJ’s, adding her one sugar and three cream- much more reasonable- wondering how long it would be before things got extremely tense in the Studio. Shaking his head, Sully pulled the bill of his hat down more and made his way to the side room with coffee for him and his fellow co-hosts balanced in his hands, a donut on top of the third cup for the poor Freshman that accidentally dumped the coffee all over Trixie. 

When he entered the side room, Rye had the sobbing girl sitting in the desk chair and was cracking jokes at her in an attempt to calm her down, but the tears and whimpering continued. Despite his comforting hand on her shoulder and his lighthearted tone, the look in his eyes when he caught Sully’s screamed [i]’help me’[/i], and all Sully could do was raise an eyebrow under his cap and stare back, the two only children stuck in a silent conversation. With a resigned sigh after a moment of intense quiet, the streamer set his cargo down on the table and walked over with the donut to crouch next to Rye’s position, in front of the crying Freshman. He pat her head lightly with one hand and when she looked up in confusion, he thrust the donut into her hands.

[color=c45508]“I’m not a great comforter, here, it’s hard to cry when you’re eatin’ and these donuts are delicious,”[/color] He spoke up honestly, tousling her hair in approval when she hiccupped and took a small bite while Rye stared at him incredulously from where he was leaning against the side of the desk. How the boy crouched beside him was so socially detached while having enough people following him on the internet that the stream-team scooped him up as soon as he arrived, Rye will never know. He himself liked to switch up the way that he acted a bit depending on who he was around, but the stark difference in Sully minutes before the camera is on him versus the second that the on air sign lights up is still a bit mind-boggling even in their fourth year of work together. 

The final warning was called through the door, meaning asses in seats in five minutes or you were benched and one of the other co-hosts had to adapt and take over your lines. The girl jumped at the assistant’s voice before looking at her two upperclassmen with teary eyes. Sully, who hadn’t taken his comforting hand off of the girl’s head yet, gave her a warm smile and a final assuring pat as he stood up from his crouch, his whole demeanor becoming warmer with the look. The girl blushed when Sully’s back was turned, the boy oblivious to it and now a bit tired by the interaction,  searching for the coffee he’d set down earlier. He grabbed the cup and began chugging its contents as if he hadn’t abruptly exited the situation, and Rye once again found himself in charge of dealing with the girl who would surely be embarrassed if Sully turned around and saw her face now.

[color=28e0af]“Okay, hun, take a trip to the bathroom and splash some cold water on your face, it’s showtime in five and we need the skills of everyone in the crew,”[/color] he prompted with an enthusiastic clap and leading tilt of the head, giving her her opening to scurry out, which she took without hesitation. His attention turned back to Sully and he suppressed a sigh when he saw the other boy had finished chugging his cup of coffee and was staring forlornly at his empty cup. [color=28e0af]“If you drink mine or DJ’s you will face death.”[/color]

Sully pulled a face at Rye after glaring at the other two cups. [color=c45508]“Nah, y’all take way too much shit in yours,”[/color] He countered, causing the curly haired boy to stutter his indignation. [color=c45508]“Don’t argue, you’re lucky that I even make yours specifically with the heinous amounts of sugar you use.”[/color]

[color=28e0af]“Deej uses [i]three creams[/i] how the hell is that too sweet.”[/color]

[color=c45508]“[i]And[/i] a sugar. All you need is a splash of cream.”[/color]

[color=28e0af]“You’re a monster.”[/color]

[color=c45508]“I’m right.”[/color]

[color=F5F5DC]“Hey guys I’m not trying to be a dick here but-”[/color] The Sophomore assistant that had called out the final warning burst through the door, looking a bit frantic.

[b][color=#C45508]“[/color][color=#BA5D12]T[/color][color=#B0661C]h[/color][color=#A66F27]r[/color][color=#9D7731]e[/color][color=#93803C]e[/color] [color=#7F9151]m[/color][color=#769A5B]i[/color][color=#6CA365]n[/color][color=#62AB70]u[/color][color=#58B47A]t[/color][color=#4FBD85]e[/color][color=#45C58F]s[/color][color=#3BCE9A].[/color][color=#31D7A4]”[/color][/b] They answered in unison while turning to him with raised eyebrows, motions completely in sync after years of working and hanging out side by side.

[color=c45508]“We’re comin’.”[/color] Sully assured, and the boy disappeared again, looking like the interaction took something precious from him. Rye made to follow the underclassman’s exit and in a split moment Sully acted on impulse, hand reaching out to grasp his wrist before he got any further. Rye turned to him in confusion.

[color=28e0af]“Sully, damn, buy me some dinner first,”[/color] He spoke up without hesitation, falling back to flirting to cover up his surprise at the initiated contact from the other boy. [color=28e0af]“At least some coffee and conversation-”[/color]

[color=c45508]“This thing with AJ,”[/color] He cut the smaller boy off, letting his wrist drop and bringing his hands up to shift his hat around on his head and pick at the frayed brim. Rye’s mock flirtatious smile faltered and his eyes flashed to the door of the office, which had thankfully closed again behind the Sophomore. [color=c45508]“You think it’s safe not to tell Jamie?”[/color]

[color=28e0af]“What? Why would we? None of us are dating,”[/color] Rye asked, looking at Sully like he’d grown a second head. [color=28e0af]“What the hell prompted this, dude?”[/color]

Sully found himself frowning in…frustration? Maybe disappointment, he was unsure. The feeling was already slipping away from him and they didn’t have any time for him to try and chase it, so he let it go with a deep breath and a short blink.

[color=c45508]“It doesn’t matter, man, I just…like, none of you should be gettin’ hurt over somethin’ like that,”[/color] He struggled, unwilling to speak on anything he’d overheard and risk spreading gossip but also feeling a deep seated worry over the whole situation that he couldn’t quite explain. [color=c45508]“Just be careful.”[/color]

[color=28e0af]“Hurt? Sulls, what the fuck?”[/color] Rye asked with a confused laugh, still worried his co-host was losing it but also starting to feel a bit of anxiety over the whole thing himself. Sully wasn’t the type to just bring shit up out of nowhere, especially about other people’s relationship dynamics. His fingers began to tap a rapid staccato against his thigh in a bid to rid himself of the sudden nervous energy. [color=28e0af]“No one is going to get hurt. We aren’t together, we’re just having a little fun, that’s not illegal. Why do I owe Jamie any sort of information about my sex life?”[/color]

Sully tilted his head, still frowning at the other boy, but before he could say anything else he saw [url=https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53f17ec6e4b0b80451152a41/1422906461763-9621R2ND2QB33NKX5899/RZ_Thomas+Dekker0493.jpg]Mr. Wells[/url] on the other side of the door, tapping his watch at them both.

[color=c45508]“Shit. One minute, let’s go,”[/color] He said instead, already letting go of the conversation with no intention to ever return to it. He reached over to grab DJ’s coffee and hustled past a frozen and reeling Rye, out of the room and into his seat with forty five seconds to spare. He handed their co-host her coffee and watched as Rye slowly made his way into his seat with his own coffee cup partially crumpled in his grasp. They greeted DJ properly with ten seconds to spare and then they all settled with their sheets as the countdown began. There was no time for frowns or confusion now.

It was showtime.[/indent][/indent][/color]