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The events of the day had taken their toll on him, but Percy was not ready to rest - not yet. He had teleported Dorian and himself back to Stark Hall so that way he could change into fresh, dry socks before tackling their next task - investigating Ser Nemo’s office. He didn’t know what he expected to find there, it could easily be a futile exercise and a waste of time… but if Nemo really was his future self, there would be clues there to find. Percy liked spy novels and movies, he enjoyed puzzles and mysteries - if he was organizing some great plan to change the timeline and spite the TVA, he would have left behind [i]something[/i] in the event of his capture. And even if unintentional, there might be evidence as to what had happened, as to what set in motion the events of Nemo’s timeline and Dorian’s suicide. 

Percy sat on the edge of Dorian’s bed, lacing up his shoes. He’d run a quick comb through his hair, taming it into a respectable neat and tidy state. The cat ears beanie was on the bed next to him. He pulled out his phone and opened the text chat with Dorian’s siblings. The others were busy with their own preparations. And stressed as he felt, he didn’t want the entire group there when they poked through the small office. It would be crowded enough in there with just Danni. 

[hider=@Siblings + Percy][color=ed1c24]Dear April and Danni,

Dorian and I have concluded our conversation. We have relocated to your room at Stark Hall and will be leaving for Ser Nemo’s office shortly. Please meet us there at your earliest convenience. I anticipate that we will be going through the office for the better part of an hour, if not more should we find information of use. 

Regards,
P. Novikov[/color][/hider]

He then stared at his phone for a moment and sighed. Danni had specifically asked for him to send emojis as tone indicators. 

[hider=@Siblings + Percy]💛[/hider]

[color=ed1c24]“Okay, I texted your siblings that we are ready,”[/color] he informed Dorian, as he stood up off the bed. He held out his hand to him. 

[center]✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩ [/center]

[hider=@Siblings + Percy]👋 👑👩, we’re so 🫳. When 👉️👫 doing 👇️? 💡 we’re gunna be 👉️ 👍️ ⏱️! 😘 😘 😘 😘 🏃 🏃 💨 ⏰ ⏰ ⏰[/hider]

Danni screeched excitedly as he fired back a text. The fearsome foursome had found their way back to campus and scattered to the winds, Danni escorting Ben back to his dorm to chill until his boyf got back from whatever adventure with Leah he'd found himself on. But this? This was [i]perfect[/i]. He snatched up Ben and shook him excitedly. 

[color=E948FC] “Omg, omg, omg, we gotta do t'is!”[/color] Danni shoved the phone directly into Ben's face, barely centimeters away from his eyes. [color=E948FC]“Wanna ‘ave some fun B&Ein’ it up tonight wit’ me? Please, please, please, please, please. [/color] Danni begged, hitting his knees and wrapping his arms around Ben's waist as he pleaded. 

Ben blinked and pulled the phone and Danni’s hand away from his face so he could actually read the conversation. He had zero clue what Danni had responded with, but he got enough of the gist to know he had already said yes for them. Ben hoped Percy would be alright with him joining, at least it wasn’t Chase he supposed. [color=cde0e1] “Uh, sure. I don’t know when Chase was going to get back and I don’t want to wait in his room, I don’t know who his roomie is.”[/color] Ben didn’t add that he didn’t want to go sit in his room alone to wait for Percy to come back or just hope that Chase came back. The pot of tea at the cafe had helped Ben a lot. He didn’t have the headache anymore. 

[color=E948FC]“Yeeeeeees! T'is is gunna be so great! I can't wait ta get a crack at t'e old man's secries, ya know? ‘speeeecially now we know ‘he's Spicy? I got [i]comments[/i] ‘bout t'at mustache.”[/color] Danni picked Ben up at the waist and twirled him around excitedly, before letting him down and dragging him down towards Poisson-Pas’ office. [color=E948FC] “Not t'at loungin’ ‘round t'e dorm wit’ ya wouldn't ‘ave been fun, but ‘ow often can ya pop inta a prof's office and snoop wit’ no chance o’ gettin’ in trouble?”[/color] 

[center]✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩ [/center]

Dorian watched as his phone buzzed several times on the wireless charger, having decided to get a bit more power into it before they went off to Nemo's office and then who knows where. Dorian's eyes slowly moved up, following the path he would like his phone to take as it gingerly began to hover in the air before snapping back towards him and in his hand. [Color=CC99FF]”Interestin’ mon amour. Anot'er pictograph t'at most certainly isn't a language or even decipherable from you.”[/color] Dorian grinned, turning  the phone towards Percy as he showed him Danni's response. [Color=CC99FF]”En tout cas, it seems t'ey are ready and willin’ to go. Allons-y”[/color] He took Percy's hand in his before slyly using his telekinesis to replace the cat ears hat onto Percys head.

Percy had already been struggling to decipher Danni’s response on his own phone and the additional screen hardly helped. He felt like he had a concussion the longer he looked at it. A princess? Pointing in different directions? Clocks? He had no idea what any of that meant. Danni could have been telling him they were at the mall shopping, he could have been explaining they were playing Mario Kart, he could have been whining about losing his favorite watch. There was absolutely no way of telling. His face was scrunched up into a deep scowl, his eyes narrowed. 

[color=ed1c24]“Does Danni even know what he’s typing?”[/color] Percy muttered. 

It took considerable effort for him to pull his attention away from the screen. Studying Danni’s use of language was a futile but addicting exercise, one he had already put many hours into. It wasn’t the priority for the moment. But if he could ever crack that code, it might just be his greatest achievement yet. 

He gave Dorian’s hand a gentle squeeze, infuriation still clear across his face, and with a [i]pop[/i] the world around them swirled and distorted, until they found themselves in the hallway outside of Ser Nemo’s office. They were entirely alone - no other students, no members of faculty wandering about. Just the empty silence broken up with the soft ticking of a hallway clock. The hallway was brightly lit, the dark oak of the door with a simple placard reading [i]Ser Nemo, Time Travel Studies[/i] in golden lettering shining from the reflected light. There was a simple notice taped in the center, explaining to the Margaret Carter community that Ser Nemo had passed away, with resources for grief and counseling detailed. At the base of the door, several bouquets of flowers had been set, with cards and notes and drawings left behind. 

Percy’s stomach lurched. It was a memorial. To him. 

[color=ed1c24]“I’ll unlock the door,”[/color] he offered quickly. He vanished from Dorian’s sight and a moment later, the office door swung inwards, allowing Dorian in without disturbing the memorial. 

The silence shattered as Danni bounced into the hallway with Ben's hand firmly in his, chatting at a mile a minute. [color=E948FC] “Okay, so listen. Sometimes ya just gotta stick wit’ t'e chiller sauce. I'm a fan of t'e spiciest t'in's I can get my ‘and's on, t'at's why Spicy's mu bestie, but sometimes t'ese newer ‘ot sauces just drown out t'e flavor ‘cause t'ey just want [i]pain[/i]. T'at's not ‘ow ya do it. Makin’ a good ‘ot sauce is all ‘bout balancin’ t'e ‘eat and t'e taste. If ya got a lotta ‘eat, ya need a real complex flavor ta make it a good Experience. I t'ink we outta do a ‘ot sauce tastin’. Got out ta a sauce shop and get like… 30 different ones. It'll be sups fun! And if we all end up cryin’ our eyes out, t'en t'at means we did it right.”[/color] Danni laughed, catching sight of Dorian in the hallway and Percy in the door way. 

[color=E948FC] “T'e party is ‘ere!”[/color] Danni declared, plucking a flower from the memorial and taking a whiff of it. [color=E948FC] “These are super nice! So pretty, smell great - man, I wonder ‘ow many peeps are gunna be upsetti when t'ey find out t'e school lied ta t'em when we bring Poisson-Pas back? Oh, hm, I guess t'ese are your flowers t'ough Spicy. You wanna wear t'is one?”[/color] Danni asked, hand already halfway to tucking it behind his ear, pausing to level Dorian with a serious look. 

[color=E948FC]“Dee, my fav brot'er, my bestie for life, my partner in crime - we ‘afta stop the mustache at all costs.”[/color] 

Ben listened to Danni horrified. He was going to die. Danni was going to kill him with hot sauce. How could he escape this potential torture? They arrived at Nemo’s office, Ben took in the scene. He didn’t know the professor, he barely knew Percy. He nodded at Dorian and Percy, then looked down the hallway to make sure it was still clear. [color=cde0e1] “Maybe we should go inside the office before someone comes,”[/color] he encouraged. He was not going to have the conversation of how he definitely wasn’t going to eat one hot sauce, let alone 30 different sauces.

Dorian took Danni's hand in his, daisychaining his powers down past Danni and into Ben as well as each of them began to turn incorporeal as he pulled them past the memorial at the doorway and into the small office of the late but still living Poissan-pas. As soon as Ben made it in, Dorian dropped the power so that each person was once again touching ground. [Color=CC99FF]”Pas de chance qu'il grow it out. Its one of my contingencies now. No facial ‘air means new future, new future means no Poisson-Pas past. Oui?”[/color] He looked towards Ben, he didn't dislike the kid but he also didn't care for the misguided boyfriend of Percy's bully. [Color=CC99FF]”Désolé. I didn't want to disturb the memorial of my late boyfriend.”[/color]

[color=ed1c24]“What? No,”[/color] Percy shook his head sharply, refusing the flower. He ignored all the comments about the mustache, although he privately agreed. Whatever they could do that was different than Nemo would help to ensure a new timeline. Albeit with the added challenge of the TVA coming after them… 

He stared at Ben for a moment. He hadn’t realized he was coming, too. Percy did not mind. But his face was still contorted into a glaring scowl. It wasn’t directed at his roommate. He moved past the others and shut the door. They didn’t need people finding them in here. 
 
The office itself was a quiet affair - cool tone walls with dark wood furniture. In the center of the room, a comfortable desk sat with a well loved leather back chair, two bookshelves flanking a wooden frame painting of an overgrown library with a staircase curling up gently along a shattered wall. A globe, a tidy pile of books, and a lamp sat on the desk and a pair of black lacquered, gold coated ballpoint pens sat neatly next to a notepad. 

Along one wall was a small table where an electric kettle and a glass tea display, along with two mugs, sat quietly and a suit of armor with a sword in hand watched over the room. A comfortable rug spread across the faded hardwood floors, one corner mussed as if someone had tripped and never bothered smoothing it out. Two chairs faced the desk, comfortable but smaller than Nemo's.

A thin layer of dust covered the room. 

Danni rerouted the flower to behind his own ear and hummed as they settled into the room. He looked around, humming for a moment to himself. It wasn't terribly large but there was still enough space to walk around. [color=E948FC] “Deee, why are you talkin’ timey-whimey to me? I don't get t'at atuff, ya know t'at!”[/color] Danni whined, beelining it for the suit of armor and the sword. He rapped his knuckles against it and stared when it echoed inside. [color=E948FC] “Ooooh, t'is is like real armor! I wonder if t'e sword is real too “[/color] Danni reached out and poked the blade, hissing as he caught the edge of the sword. A bit of blood welled up out of the cut and he stuck his finger in his mouth to keep the blood from dripping everywhere. 

Ben saw the scowl and withered a little under the intensity of it. He didn't know where to start searching the room. He froze a little when Percy shut the door. The room was small. He knew he could open the door and leave at any moment. But it still...itched. Sighing, he started to search the desk. If anything was going to be written down it was likely to be there.

Most of what he found seemed to just be lesson plans and homework. Of note was a flyer for a different school, and notes about the Excelsior team. Though there were names he didn't recognize. There were training notes. He didn't think that is what they were looking for though. 

[color=cde0e1] “Hey... so what are we looking for?”[/color] Ben flipped through the notes. 

Dorian telekinetically smacked Percy behind his head and gave him a look tellin him to fix his face as he saw Ben's demeanor change slightly before he began to search the office. Rolling his eyes, he began to make his way around the office to search for…well anything he guessed. [Color=CC99FF]”Weird writin’ t'at might give you a ‘eadache if you look too long, somet'in t'at may seem outta place, I dunno, Perce its your future office, ‘ow would you ‘ide clues?”[/color] He asked jist moments before he felt his foot snag on the armors greatest, panicked, Dorian tried to phase through it as it began to fall over but instead ended up inside the armor and taking Danni down with him.

Percy flinched as something struck him in the back of his head, turning around on his heel only to see his boyfriend nonverbally scolding him. His nerves were shot already from having Chase around and for a brief second, his eyes looked pained before the mask slid back over his features, a little more neutral than before but still intense and focused. 

[color=ed1c24]“How am I supposed to know what’s going through Nemo’s thick skull?”[/color] He hated how much he recognized himself in everything here - in the neatness and the organization, in the heavy dark furniture, in the piece of art on the wall. He hated how much he still felt that irritation and rage when he thought of Nemo, even knowing the truth. He hated how suffocating this room felt, like a coffin ready to snap shut. 

[color=ed1c24]“I wouldn’t leave anything in obvious locations - so the desk is a waste of time. And I…”[/color] there was a clatter as Dorian knocked over the suit of armor, crashing to the ground with it and Danni. [color=ed1c24]“… I might put something in there.”[/color] 

The clatter of armor caught Danni off guard as he nursed his wound. He lunged to grab Dorian, only for him to phase and vanish, and screamed as the entire suit came crashing down on him. He managed to cover his head, but the heavy metal knocked the air from his lungs and left deep, pulsing bruises on his arms and sides. As the helmet rolled away and clanked against the door, Danni peeked his eyes open and gasped at the blade that hard buried itself inches from his nose. [color=E948FC] “OMG, Dee's! You almost-”[/color] Danni winced, his complaining cut short as he tried to wiggle out from under the armor but felt something dull and intense radiate out from his side. [color=E948FC]“Ow, ow, ow, ow! Dee, we're ‘bout ta go on an adventure and I can't call Pops ta ‘eal me or we'll get in trouble! You're so meaaaaan!”[/color] Danni complained as he gingerly scooted out from under the heavy metal, groaning dramatically the entire time. 

Danni did stare at the blade. It was double edged and leaf shaped, a leather wrap around the hilt. Danni poked the pummel. [color=E948FC]“So, uh, Spicy, I t'ink t'is means you're learnin’ ‘ow ta swin’ a sword, ya know?”[/color] 

Ben sighed, unsurprised that the desk was a dead end, according to Percy. He tried to put the file back exactly as he had found it when there was a massive clattering. He looked up seeing the armor now on the floor crushing Danni. 

[color=cde0e1] “You okay?”[/color] he asked? Ben watched the door for a moment hoping no one heard them and came to investigate. He didn't need a second detention. The room was cramped enough that he stayed on the other side of the desk to not crowd the armor. If Danni needed help he would help. But he would rather stay out of the way first. 

Dorian groaned lightly, rolling off of Danni as he splayed himself on the floor. [Color=CC99FF]”I'm good. Danni you ok?”[/color] His eyes stayed closed for a moment as his head rang from the helmets thud before rolling off. The sound resonating within his own head. He stood up slowly, standing back to where the armor had been and phased back out of it, holding his hand out to help Danni up. 

Percy let out a small sigh of relief as he saw that Dorian and Danni were unharmed. [color=ed1c24]“Maybe we should avoid using powers in here.”[/color] He said this mostly for Danni. He didn’t want to see his friend burn them all alive - and destroy what evidence they could find. He approached the two slowly and carefully, before evaluating the sword. He pulled on the grip, expecting it to come free, but it remained lodged into the boards. He gritted his teeth and pulled harder, the scowl returning to his face, but it still wouldn’t budge. His temper flared. [color=ed1c24]“Дурацкий древний меч, почему ты, блядь, не вытаскиваешься?”[/color] he swore in Russian. [color=ed1c24]“It’s Ancient Greek - a xiphos. It makes no sense for Nemo to have paired it with medieval armor, it’s a complete anachronism.”[/color]

Danni accepted Dorian's hand. [color=E948FC]“Ot'er t'an feelin’ like a rock in a rock roller? Yeah, I'm chill!”[/color] Danni pouted at Percy's suggestion. [color=E948FC] “But like… what if Poisson-Pas ‘id stuff wit’ like invisible ink? And we need ‘eat ta read it? Or like… idk, lemon and ‘eat? Poisson-Pas should ‘ave some, ‘e ‘as it wit’ ‘is tea sometimes, yeah?”[/color] Danni watched as Percy struggled wit’ t'e sword and bounced over to help. 

[color=E948FC] “‘I can ‘elp and it doesn't take powers!”[/color] Danni carefully grabbed both sides of the hilt, keeping his fingers away from the edge so he didn't get cut again. [color=E948FC] “Okay, okay, okay on three. One… two… t'ree!”[/color] Danni counted down and pushed up while Percy pulled and it slid out of the floor boards with ease. 

[color=E948FC]“Aye! Look at us! Just like if we lat'ered t'is baby up wit’ a little bacon grease and butter. [/color] 

Danni and Dorian were both okay. Good. Ben sat down on the chair. He thought for a moment, before leaning so he could see under the drawer. Sometimes in spy movies they'd hide things under the drawer, maybe there would be something there. He didn’t expect it, but it would be a bad search job if he didn't look.

There was a cockroach. He blinked. [color=cde0e1] “Hey there buddy. How long have you been here? Are there others?”[/color] Maybe the cockroach could help. He held out his hand for the bug to climb onto.

[Color=CC99FF]” I've ‘eard of t'e Sword in t'e Stone but not t'e one in t'e board.”[/color] Dorian joked as Percy and Danni struggled to pull it out until they finally managed it. [Color=CC99FF]”So why would you put somet'in’ anachronastic wit'in your office? Does t'at make t'e armor t'e clue or t'e sword? T'en again given ‘ow many swords were in t'at vision I t'ink it may be t'e sword.”[/color] Dorian moved away from the two however, not wanting to get stabbed by anything in the office. [Color=CC99FF]”Future you better put t'at t'in’ in a sheathe. Students can ‘urt t'emselves wit’ t'at you know? Even mine stays sheat'ed.”[/color]

Dorian began to look over the books that littered the shelves, after all his boyfriend loved to read, and so perhaps a clue would be hidden amongst the literature. Beyond that maybe a secret door. He stopped when he noticed a book he hadn't heard of, Greek in nature but nothing he could tie back to Homer's Canon that it was placed by. [Color=CC99FF]”Perce. What's t'is?”[/color]

[color=ed1c24]“Yours isn’t always sheathed,”[/color] Percy cast a somewhat heated look over at Dorian, before returning his attention to the sword. He held up the sword for closer inspection, offering a grateful nod to Danni for his aid. It was expertly maintained, the xiphos - it was a secondary weapon used by the Greeks, a supplement to a javelin or a spear. They were typically about two feet in length but could be as short as a foot. This one he’d guess was about two feet but…

Percy frowned. Again. 

[color=ed1c24]“It’s… shrinking…”[/color]

The blade rapidly lost about six inches of length, without any shimmering lights or other signs of magical activity. It simply became smaller. And once it ceased shrinking, it felt perfect in Percy’s hand, as if it had been made for him. It very well may have been. It was Nemo’s sword. He hated how right it felt. 

He looked up at Dorian and somehow managed to frown even deeper.  [color=ed1c24]“What? That’s nonsense. There’s no [i]γοητεία[/i].”[/color] His brain stalled out for a moment as he searched for the meaning of the word.  

Danni watched the sword shrink in awe. [color=E948FC] “Wow! Look at Poisson-Pas, givin’ ya a sword t'at can change ta be perfectly cute just like you! So adorable!”[/color] Danni marveled, but frowned at Percy's comment. [color=E948FC] “Deeeee, you gotta remember ta sheat’ your sword! What if ya trip and fall like t'at and ‘urt yourself? Or like, Spicy ‘as a rough ‘port so ‘e just like, pops in and sits right on it by accidnet?”[/color] Danni chastised his brother, bouncing over to see what Dee found. 

Danni looked at the book with an empty, blank stare and shook his head. [color=E948FC]“Imma let t'e nerds ‘ere ‘andle t'is cause Imma be ‘onest, t'is looks like a buncha gobbledygook tbh so ‘ave fuuuun.”[/color] Danni scooted across the room to see what Ben was looking at. 

The cockroach skittered around a little, the sudden movement, light, and sound startling it. It tentatively scooched closer to Ben's hand and its antenna tested his fingers apprehensive. It did not understand time so could offer no answers; only expressed hunger and loneliness and confusion. It wished for food or to be returned to where it came in. Ben would get a gist of where it scampered through: a crack in the wall near hidden hinges behind a painting.

Ben looked up and around, looking for the painting from the little bit he had gotten from the bug. [color=cde0e1] “Hey, I think there is something behind the painting there.”[/color] Ben gestured with his free hand. Then reached into his pocket and pulled out some tea crackers from his pocket. He put a few of the crumbs on the palm of his hand for the cockroach. [color=cde0e1] “This little one came from behind the painting,”[/color] he explained.

Dorian scoffed. [Color=CC99FF]”I only unsheath it when in a fight. Even t'en I rarely pull it out. Appa says you should never remove your sword from its sheath unless you are ready to take a life. I mostly use mine as a focus in battle to visualize psionic cuts.”[/color] He couldn't help but hold back a laugh as Percy exclaimed his sword was shrinking. [Color=CC99FF]”Maybe it's cold. “[/color] He joked as he made his way towards Ben to help with the painting. Tugging at it from one side as it swung open and revealed a safe with a number combination lock on it. 

Percy coughed. [color=ed1c24]“Yes, I wouldn’t want to accidentally sit on your blade.”[/color] He set the sword down on the desk somewhat awkwardly. He hadn’t seen a sheath for it, and he hoped by putting it there, it would minimize the chances of someone else getting hurt on it. He made a mental note to ask Dorian later about his training with his father - was his appa a swordsman, too? A swordsman devoted to his mage? 

Instead, he turned his attention to the shelves and pulled out the book Dorian had found. His eyes slipped as the letters on the title rearranged themselves, from [i]γοητεία[/i] to [i]witchery.[/i] And as he opened it, familiar symbols filled the page, symbols he knew he had seen before but he couldn’t place. They accompanied the occasional drawing, circles and wheels and rough sketches of terrains. But the symbols, they covered the pages, all written in a penmanship he could not help but recognize as his own. He couldn’t read them, though. No matter how many times he tilted the page, no matter what symbol he stared at, it was all nonsense to him, as decipherable as Danni’s text messages. 

[color=ed1c24]“Can you read this?”[/color] he asked, turning to show the book to Dorian, only to spy a safe with a combination lock. 

His face flushed. [color=ed1c24]“Try 10-10-2038.”[/color]

[color=E948FC]“Oooh, t'e bug is tell ya secrets of t'e room, eh? Nifty! Oooooh, t'at should be t'e buggies nickname!”[/color] Danni clapped excitedly, proud he came up with such a good nickname. He gasped at the safe in the wall and rushed over to it, wiggling in next to Dorian obnoxiously to start playing with the combination dial. [color=E948FC] “Leavin’ Spicy ta do all t'e work wit’ t'e books I see. I'll get t'e safe, t'ough why would t'at be t'e combo? Seems ‘eckin’ specific. Kinda like a date, ya know?”[/color] 

Danni twirled the dial, tongue sticking out as he listened for the satisfying little clicks. On the final one, he gave a little shout of excitement as the safe unlocked but he paused for a moment. He checked it just like Poisson-Pas explained it to them: looking for wires, testing for tension, tapping for anything hollow but after a few minutes, Danni was satisfied and threw it open. 

There was a long beat of silence. 

[color=E948FC]“Oh.”[/color] Danni said softly and then slowly closed the safe again. It stayed barely cracked but Danni didn't look away from the safe door. [color=E948FC]“T'at won't ‘elp us. We can just look for somet'in’ else.”[/color] 

Ben felt happy that he could help. That Dorian had listened to him. He smiled. [color=cde0e1] “Yeah, I guess so,”[/color] Ben responded to Danni. Ben came over to the painting, looking for the crack and offering it to the cockroach so it could go back home. It had hopefully gotten enough crackers for now. 

It was lost on Dorian as well as to why that combination would work. He figured it was some significant date to Poisson-Perce but at the moment hadn't thought beyond that. What he was focused on was how weird Danni  was acting towards whatever was inside of the safe. Dorian pulled on the door with his powers, gently, but with enough force to swing it open and see what Danni was trying to hide. Anger flashed across his eyes as he spotted the bottle of Old Rip Van Winkle Bourbon, sat within a glass dome case not too dissimilar to the rose from Disney's tale. Etched onto the glass was a note ‘Break in Case of Failure.’ 

[Color=CC99FF]” Absolument non!”[/color] Dorian exclaimed as he made his way past Danni, phasing his hand into the glass casing and grabbing the bottle before vanishing down into the floor with it.

[color=ed1c24]“It’s our anniversary,”[/color] Percy explained, his face turning even redder. It felt like a lifetime ago that Dorian had invaded his room for a study session, complaining about being unable to parse the Iliad without even making an honest attempt at it. He noted that he’d been entirely ignored about the book and he sighed, closing it and deciding to figure out what all the fuss was about a safe… 

… only to see that Ben was apparently taking advantage of the prime real estate and making it into a home for a cockroach. 

Why had Danni brought this person? 

He furrowed his eyebrows, staring daggers into Ben’s back - this time intended [i]at[/i] him - and completely missed what Dorian was doing. Danni seemed a little quieter than normal, but he didn’t think much of it. He might have also just been confused about the bug. Danni was often confused. 

[color=E948FC]“Ooookay, whelp, t'at's t'at!”[/color] Danni clapped his hands loudly and slammed the safe shut, letting it click close and spun the dial like a game show. Danni did not want to think about what that meant so he didn't! Instead, he let the cockroach scuttle into a crack near the painting's hinges and gently moved it out of the way before shutting it. He spun around, propped his hands on his hips. [color=E948FC]“Whelp, t'e safe was a bust soooooooo maybe t'ere's somet'in’ else ‘ere, ‘u’? Idk, Spicy where else would ya ‘ide stuff? So far, we got a sword and a book we can't read!”[/color] Danni laughed, a little too loudly even for him. 

Since Percy was glaring at the back of his head, Ben didn't notice this time. He was distracted by letting the bug go. He dusted his hands of cracker crumbs. He looked around the room to see if there were other hiding places for things. He went over to the globe. Trying to think if there were trick globes that had secret hiding spots in them. That seemed like something that would exist. Though it made him think of James Bond and hidden drink sets. The globe didn't seem to have hinges or anything else strange about it. However, it did look like it hadn't been moved in a long time. 

Dorian flew off towards his dorm, placing the bottle into his bag that he was going to pack for Otherworld. He'd have words with Poisson-Pas about his future choices and how he needed to think better of them. He'd gathered shards of the broken teacup, only two decently large pieces that he'd originally needed to identify and find the replacement he had for Nemo what felt like ages ago. Dorian took those two and quickly scribbled down a note ‘A Reminder that you can always fix what has been broken’ He gathered the items and went back towards Nemo's office, phasing back to the safe only to notice it was once again locked and closed. 

Annoyance joined the anger within him. Using his powers to flip open the painting, turn the dial back to its open code, and fling the door open before he phased the two items into the glass case, snagging one of the teacups he'd gotten Nemo and putting it alongside them before closing it all back up and phasing back into space as he dusted his hands. [Color=CC99FF]”Perce you ‘ad a book or somet'in’ for me to read? And why is your face like t'at? I t'ought I told you to fix it “[/color]

Percy tore his attention away from the bug at Danni’s question. He didn’t notice anything off about Danni’s laughter. As for where else he would hide something… his eyes darted towards the carpet on the floor, noting the way the corner of it was bunched up. He frowned and set the book down next to the sword, and knelt down on the floor, pulling the rug back. He tilted his head to the side. The floor board underneath was loose. [color=ed1c24]“I read too many spy books,”[/color] he huffed, as he pried the board loose to reveal a tattered old suitcase, with S. Nemo embroidered on top. 

[color=ed1c24]“The book’s on the table - and my face is just like this. I’m not [i]doing[/i] anything.”[/color]

At the sound of the floorboard being pulled out, Danni scampered away to get his hands on whatever he could. He cheered at the sight of the suitcase, kneeling down beside Percy. [color=E948FC]“Yeeeees, let's see what secrets Poisson-Pas kept from us.”[/color] Danni eagerly dragged the suitcase up out of the floor and popped it open. He was expecting secret letters, piles of cash, maybe some weapons, but what he found inside instead… Danni couldn't stop the sniffles as his eyes teared up. 

He held up the monster mash photo of everyone in She-Ra outfits first. He'd been a little lonely during that, the rest of his siblings pairing up and only him left out, but it was still a great night (and even great shots. Damn, he could work a camera.) that ended pretty rough but the energy they all had before that? Amazing. He wasn't certain what the ring was, but no doubt it was important. A photo of a pair of kids that Danni couldn't recognize but they looked like they were having fun. Maybe he was going to be an uncle one day and these were Dee and Spicy’s kids. 

[color=E948FC]“Aw, look at my nephews."[/color] Danni cooed, still trying to hold back tears. It was all for naught as he picked up the slightly melted bracelet that he could recognize as the friendship bracelet he'd made Percy. He turned to look at Percy with big watery eyes and blubbered out [color=E948FC]“You kept our friendship bracelet t'is long?”[/color]

Ben gave up on the globe and moved so he was standing behind Danni as he rummaged through the suitcase. It was mementos. Ben was about to step back and let them look through it alone, when Danni claimed one photo was of his nephews. Ben looked at it and recognized a younger Chase. He wanted to show the picture to Chase, but part of him worried that if Chase saw it he'd fall into a spiral of self pity. He had lost so much of his color during the experiments. Chase looked endlessly tired. Ben didn't care. He still thought Chase was attractive, but this childhood photo was adorable. He stepped back away. Unsure of where to look still. They hadn't seemed to have found whatever they were looking for. Unless the book that Percy had found was it. 

Ben sighed and sort of gave up. He just started picking up books at random hoping one would stand out. 

[Color=CC99FF]”Right.”[/color] Dorian replied curtly as he made his way over towards the book. He began flipping over the pages, trying the trick that Nemo had taught him to read the Journal given to him. His let his vision unfocus, let the words begin to blur and mix, but each time it felt as if he had it, the words slipped away. Twisting and turning in his mind in a way that made him feel incomplete, like he was missing someone for this equation. His eyes glanced at Percy, over by Danni and the pulled up floorboard, and he wondered if this was enchanted so that only they as one could read it. After all it [i]is[/i] Poisson-Perce's book, and if he felt he was missing someone…

Dorian made his way over, quick strides of determination as he grabbed Percy's hand. [Color=CC99FF]”I t'ink we need to be one to read t'is book.”[/color] He pulled Percy in close, as if they were about to dance, chest to chest, when suddenly their bodies began to form into one. It wasn't like his possessions, it felt closer to what he'd done with Billy and Danni yet even more so different. Did they just physically entangle? The new form stood there, book in hand, with icy blue eyes, pale skin and rosy cheeks, mop top dark brown hair, and taller than Percy has ever been. A swirl of emotions as the two collided, anger, annoyance, and an internal conflict Dorian didn't understand.[Color=db619c]” Perce wha– you ok?”[/color] More annoyance ran across their now shared emotions, but a clear cut concern followed right after.

Percy hadn’t had a chance to say yes to this, hadn’t even gotten a moment to consider what Dorian had asked of him. Just one moment he was staring at the tiny mementos of a sad, weary life that awaited him and the next, he was somewhere dark, restrained and unable to move, as something - as someone - as [i]Dorian[/i] forcibly took control. Annoyance and anger that were not his bled into the rage and turmoil that was, and he felt himself speak, could see the book in his hands and the room around him, even as he was a prisoner in this body. 

[i][Color=db619c]I’m [b]fine![/b][/color][/i] Percy strained against what bonds held him, trying to find the place where he started and this other - and Dorian ended. 

Dorian snatched Percy up without so much as a hello to Danni, suddenly whirling into one person as Ben wandered around aimlessly. Dorian and Percy seemed to change and shift and then suddenly, [i]poof![/i] new person. Danni gaped in astonishment, bracelet still outstretched where he was showing Percy. Danni was a little overwhelmed at this revelation, that these two could become one beyond the whole tied together thing. [color=E948FC] “Wha- Who? ‘ow-”[/color] Danni stammered, for once struggling to reach for words. [color=E948FC]“Omg, anot'er circuit? Please be careful! Do [i]not[/i] change t'e reality, do [i]not[/i] mess wit’ time, do not [i]not[/i] do anyt'in’ crazy now. Gotta start slow - I know we did. Ig, scary stuff last time but t'at took a lot outta us and we gotta be leavin’ pretty soon. Ain't got a buncha time ta recover!”[/color] Danni warned shrilly. Danni shook his hands wildly as he tried, for once, to think and he landed on Ben. 

Ben!

[color=E948FC]“Wait, no Bennie, Ben, Bennie Ben can you like, make a cup o’ tea? Poissan-Pas ‘as a whole selection t'ere. T'e last time Dee circuited, we stripped a whole island of a curse and t'en built a whole buildin’ and gave everyone we loved a ‘ug and it was [i]rouuugh[/i] and Spicy was already on like scotch bonnet going on chocolate habanero. Idk why but it was def t'ere if ‘e was snappin’ at Dee like t'at so maybe a cup o’ tea will chill t'is circuit out before t'ey do timey-whimey, ghostie stuff.”[/color] Danni pointed at the tea set up. The makeshift bar hosted a variety of bagged and loose leaf teas, an electric kettle, a tea pot, mugs, and a sink. The container that sat out off the display was Russian Caravan tea and was the least filled, clearly much loved. All the teas were used to some extent, except the one container labelled Kukicha. It seemed pristine and untouched compared to those around it..

Ben was poking at books uselessly when Percy fully went away. So did Dorian. They both just disappeared and a new person was standing where they had been. He blinked at them confused. Danni made it make some sense though. Reminding him of what happened during the Contest. 

[color=cde0e1] “Oh, yeah sure,”[/color] he went over to the tea set up. First checking the water, it had clearly been sitting for a while so he dumped it. He refilled the pot a little bit and then shook it to clear out any residual dust or other grossness. He might like his tea cup build up, but the water should be clean and good. After refilling the pot and starting the kettle he grabbed two cups, paused and grabbed a third. He read the side of the container to see how hot the water should be for this type since it wasn’t his usual black tea he couldn’t be fully sure. He continued to work on that while Dorian and Percy... did whatever it was that they were doing. 

[Color=db619c]”Fine? Perce I can feel what you're feeling. What [i]we're[/i] feeling.”[/color] He crossed his arms, leaning against the desk [color=db619c]”You wanted to go poking around for information and now that we have a few leads you're being all…you!”[/color] 

Percy flinched inside the entanglement and his vision went red, as he violently came into better awareness of the body. He kept his arms crossed but his trademark glare was plain across his face, contrasted only with the cat ears that remained on. [Color=db619c]“Oh, my apologies for being [i]me[/i]. I’ll work on that. I’ll be someone you prefer better next time - how about Billy, hmm? Would that be better?”[/color] The books in the office began to rattle, threatening to fall off of the shelf. The tea cups in the safe clattered against the glass display, the album in the suitcase opened up and the pages began to fall rapidly, and the handle on the door shook. 

Danni laughed nervously. [color=E948FC]“Okay, okay. ‘member we can get in lots of trouble if anyone finds out we're ‘ere.”[/color] Danni reminded them from his spot on the floor, gingerly putting the bracelet back into the suitcase and shutting the album, putting all his weight on it. Danni never thought he'd be here but Beanie wasn't and neither were t'e ‘rents and Danni was really, really good at talking so maybe this wouldn't be horrible. [color=E948FC]“Dee, maybe give us some specifics rather t'an makin’ it sound like ya don't like your boyf? And Spicy, can we avoid t'e low blows and t'rownin’ old crushes back in someone's face? Can you ask for some more words or like, verbalize t'at t'at was ‘urtful and t'en maybe say whats upsettin’ ya, ‘cause clearly ya aren't ‘appy? I t'ought we was ‘avin’ fun but I'm startin’ ta t'ink ya aren't ‘avin’ fun.”[/color] Danni paused, but his curiosity got the better of his common sense and his question spilled out despite every attempt to hold it back. 

[color=E948FC]“Also, are y'all like… one person? Two person? Or are y'all t'ere plus one more person t'at is bot’ y'all?”[/color] 

Ben [i]tried[/i] to ignore what was happening. The cups shaking did not help. It sort of freaked him out. He put all of his focus into making the tea. Carefully cutting the water off at exactly the right time. He poured the hot water over the leaves. Watching the time on his watch to make sure it brewed for the exact right amount of time. His hands were shaking, but he was trying. He didn’t know if the others wanted sugar or cream. He grabbed a fourth cup. He hadn’t planned on drinking this tea since it wasn’t his usual but he needed it now. 

[color=cde0e1] “How do you like your tea? Sugar or no? I wouldn’t trust the cream.”[/color] 

The jab about Billy made Dorian shrink within themselves. He didn't understand why Percy was being so angry, so hurtful. They'd never had issues like this before with possessions post dating, but that sense of inner conflict and turmoil kept coming back and he didn't understand why. He tried to stay calm, to keep his cool so that they both weren't raging messes, but it felt as if Percy's emotions were swallowing him whole. He was drowning inside of themselves and he needed to breathe. So Dorian pushed, taking back control over their body as he sat down on the ground, back against the desk. [Color=db619c]”Sugar please.”[/color] His voice sounded almost defeated. [Color=db619c]”I'm not trying to shut you out Perce, but…look at what's happening. My powers go haywire every time I get too emotional, it's why I try not to. It's why I push so much stuff down and bury it. But I don't want you to do that. Danni’s right, we gotta talk this out. I don't want you to change or be someone else, or someone better because there is no one better. But you also can't be sending glares at people you don't even know. We talked about this before. So please…talk to me.”[/color] The shaking in the office had stopped, for now.

The feeling of smallness rippled across to Percy, hitting his chest like sharp, red shards of glass. Control slipped away from him as Dorian pushed, and his senses dulled again, as everything became further and further away, the vibrations in his chest as Dorian spoke simultaneously muted and distorted. Everything around him was a haze, the anger and the rage moving into him like gravity, like an enchantment he could not fight. Each time he tried to set it aside, a horrific, pervasive sense of sorrow filled him - a vacuum that could not stand. He didn’t know how to not be angry. He didn’t know how to set these feelings aside. It was the only defense he had against the emptiness, against his fear. 

But he had to try. The anger was as much a poison as the alcohol. 

[i][Color=db619c]I didn’t mean to glare at him![/color][/i] 

He curled up into a ball inside the entanglement. There was a brief break in the red fog, a small parting of the storm clouds. [i][Color=db619c]I hate Ser Nemo. I hate being in this office. I hate his unreadable books. I hate his xiphos. I hate his tea set-up. I hate his concealed safe. I hate the suitcase under the floorboards. I hate the flowers outside. I hate his fancy pens. I hate his beautiful painting. I hate his mustache, I hate his clothes, I hate his obnoxious fake accent. I hate his stupid name. I hate that he failed to do the [b]one[/b] thing that mattered. [/color][/i]

Danni bit his tongue as his question went ignored and he felt a little proud of himself that he didn't whine, complain, or cry. The pair there seemed to have it under control, or at the very least Danni couldn't hear the other part of the conversation, so he instead turned his attention to the photo album he'd been keeping closed, back to Dorian and Percy to give them some semblance of privacy as he would [i]absolutely[/i] hang onto every word. His eyes grew wide as he saw what was inside, morphing into a look of pure horror as he felt compelled to flip through it faster and faster and faster. 

Ben poured the cups of tea and added a bit of sugar into each cup. He stirred them, then taking one at a time and handed them out. First, to...the Dorian Percy hybrid. He put it on the ground in front of them, and slid it closer. Then he took the second cup and offered it to Danni. He was flipping through a photo album looking distressed. [color=cde0e1] “What’s wrong? What did you find?”[/color] Ben’s voice was quiet. [color=cde0e1] “Oh, here I made enough tea for everyone. I actually pulled out four cups because I don’t know...how long they’re going to be like that.”[/color] 

[Color=db619c]”Perce….”[/color] They sat there, quietly for a second as Ben slid them a saucer of tea like they were a wild animal he needed to keep his distance from. [Color=db619c]”Thank you Ben.”[/color] They said as they picked up the cup and took a sip, letting the flavours wash over their tongue in an attempt to help soothe Percy more. [Color=db619c]”You don't mean any of that.”[/color] He began to stand up, placing the tea onto the desk as he looked around the room. [Color=db619c]”Look at all of this. This is everything you ever told me you wanted. Antique books line your shelves in amazing conditions, a Xiphos more likely than not plucked from its very own period of time, same goes for the suit of armor, that case the photos were in, this painting of a fantastical world. Perce, you said when you wanted to grow up you didn't want to be a hero. You wanted to be an adventurer who explored time. This is a testament that you succeeded in doing all of that. So why would you hate any of it? Look at how much you have accomplished, you invented a language even your powers can't solve! Think about how crazy that is! A language based puzzle that makes you have to think and not rely on powers. Only you could do that. And…I know what you're going to say, I know you won't believe any of it matters because in the end he failed. But he didn't, [i]you[/i] didn't. He is alive, waiting, and he has given us all the clues we need within these four walls to ensure he finished enacting his plan. Because if I know Nemo, if I know you, he's going to see my message I left him, and he's going to remember that no matter what, what is broken can always be fixed. And you two would do anything needed to fix it.”[/color] Dorian held a metaphorical hand out for Percy to take, to help lift him up above the raging clouds of anger and self pity and to the heights of self acceptance from within their new body. Helping Percy see the office through Dorian's eyes with pride.

The tea tasted nice. The name always struck him as a bit on the nose, but it was the same tea his grandfather would bring when he’d come to visit from Moscow. It was a contrasting mixture of smoky and sweet, the flavor bold and strong just the way he liked it. Percy could feel the calming wave slowly enveloping him, Dorian’s emotions and the soothing tea bleeding into him. The shield of anger was collapsing on him like weight, threatening to crush him - and it was only Dorian’s hand, somehow tangible in this in-between space - that pulled him up and out of it. 

Looking through Dorian’s eyes, hearing the pride and the praise - hearing that this was everything Percy ever wanted - it healed something in him just as something else broke, as a dam gave way, the sorrow gushing out of him. [Color=db619c]“I don’t want any of that stuff,”[/color] he mumbled, the new body’s shoulders slumping as their eyes watered. [Color=db619c]“I don’t care about any of that if it means I end up old and sad and miserable and alone,”[/color] they choked out, the tears now freely falling. 

Danni flipped back to the first page, a photo of Nemo much younger than he was now. Dressed in the bold colors and synthetic fabrics of the era, Nemo stood in front of a fountain with an angelic figure on top and a beautiful lake behind it. He wore Percy's familiar awkward stoicism (how Danni didn't see it before, he didn't know but wow). Danni may have seen the deep sadness etched into his face or the loneliness in the slant of his shoulders or the awful responsibility that surviving placed on him, if it wasn't for the humongous, ginormous, huge… 

Mustache. 

[color=E948FC]“Bennie boy. Open your eyes, baby boi. Look at t'is [i]monstreoty[/i]. It's a crime against fashion! It's a crime against [i]life[/i].”[/color] Danni whispered furiously back to Ben. His version of a whisper still… carried, as Danni would not be tempered by something as modesty. He stared flipping through the pages and pointing accusatorily at Nemo in each one.[color=E948FC] “And look. It. Just. Gets. [I]Worse[/i]. T'is is ‘ow I know we weren't ‘round. If ‘e ever came ta me and said [i]“Danni, my bestiest, deariest friend, ‘ow do ya feels ‘bout me mustache”[/i] or even showed up wit’ one, I'd burn t'at garbage right off. Buckle up, Spicy, ‘cause you're ‘bout ta ‘ave sweater 2.0 bb. Friends don't let each ot'er suffer t'ese kinds of cries for ‘elp.”[/color] 

Ben looked at the mustache. It was objectively bad. He wasn't about to say that in earshot of Percy though. [color=cde0e1] “Uh, I'm going to be honest I'm not sure what is going on. How is Percy this guy? How is this guy your missing professor?”[/color] Danni might not be the right person to ask this. But how had this happened? He understood that Dorian died and that hurt Percy. But what caused all of that?

[i][color=db619c]You're not gonna end up sad and alone, Perce. The future isn't set in stone. Your own mother even knows that. She can peer into countless versions of us and yet still here we stand as our own unique selves. As a matter of fact…[/color][/i] Dorian had gained glimpses of the future before from his astral projecting. Percy had the power of jumping around in time. Perhaps in this new form…

The entity phased out of view, as they slipped into the astral realm. A dazzling landscape of fantastical colors, swirls of pink and green and blue and gold bleeding into each other. There was no gravity here, as the body floated, the hair standing up straight, their form now one of warm, pink light - occasional bursts of red and purple poking through. White light rippled out from their hands, dispelling the fabric of the astral for a moment, allowing a glimpse into another reality, another life, another future…

Through the small crack in between worlds, they could see a quiet, unassuming street. The sort of town where everyone knew everyone, where leaves fell gently to the ground as the seasons changed, and pumpkins adorned each and every storefront, lively music floating through the town without any discernible source. Their view turned and moved, pushing up on a popular cafe - Bean Voyage: A mid twenties Dorian stood behind the counter, wand tucked behind his ear, as he expertly brewed drink after drink. The door jingled as an early twenties Percy entered the shop, a leather doctor’s bag at his side as he approached the counter, Dorian pulling him in by his tie to offer him a kiss. [Color=CC99FF][i]“My favorite customer.”[/i][/color]

The fissure in reality closed and they fell forward, spiraling out of control only to come to a halt in front of another gap - this one old and dusty, a dark tomb lit only by torchlight. Each step sent dust spilling down from the ceiling, rocks tumbling at the disturbance that had not occurred in a thousand years. Dorian was dressed with rogueish charm, a cowboy hat on his head and a whip at his side, as he held his hand out in front of him, warily stepping across the tiles, Percy’s head furiously buried in a journal as he scribbled away, noting everything in sight. A gigantic sarcophagus dominated the space, flanked with statues of jackals and tablets promising rebirth and return. [i][color=ed1c24]“The tomb of En Sabah Nur… The first mutant.”[/color][/i] [i][Color=CC99FF]“Nerd.”[/color][/i] In the distance, a rumbling sound came closer and closer. 

They were flung forward once more, this time plunging them into a scene of a city suspended in the sky, filled with neon lights and bustling hovercraft. At the lowest levels, where smog filled the air and grime covered every surface, there was a small junkyard, filled with dismantled droids and broken ships. A Dorian in his mid thirties was covered in sweat and grease, his tank top almost thoroughly destroyed from the work, as he pulled broken component after broken component out of the droid. At the desk next to him sat Percy, mustache prominent on his face and well cared for, as he poured over datapads, editing programming on the fly as a maestro revised scores. 

Dorian watched each future, each moment of time that they got to spend with one another, in absolute awe. A slight irk that in one universe he had a job, but it quickly faded away at the sight of them excavating the first mutant. The final vision he saw brought out a feeling of nostalgia for a time he hadn't experienced yet. It felt so domestic in a way that tugged at him to want to do more with his talents in mechanics and robotics. He'd been so busy sharpening his powers recently he'd fully put aside his love for tech. But above all else, he felt love, for the man he would be with and the life they would lead. A future unwritten.

A blush colored the body’s face, as Percy witnessed these different possibilities, these different lives they could have, the different people they could be. He knew Nemo’s future, knew the darkness and the sorrow that lingered, knew that the TVA had deemed that what was going to happen… But rather than feel despair, rather than mourn what could be, he felt hope, buoyant and life, felt the warmth of his boyfriend’s love wrapping around him. The storm clouds and the rage lifted, the sorrow banished for just one night - they could have their silly fanfiction coffee shop AU, they could be adventurers, they could be domestic. Together, they were unlimited. His walls and defenses fell away, the sharp edges that had defined where Percy was and where Dorian was in this shared form fading, leaving behind a harmonious, entangled being. 

Percy-and-Dorian. Dorian-and-Percy. 

Gemini.  

[center]✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩ [/center]

[color=E948FC]“Oh! You needs t’e deep lore! Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha. Well, buckle up Bennie boi. It’s a [i]lot[/i].”[/color] Danni turned away from the photobook and launched into his explanation, the disappearance of the other entity missed as his focus was fully on Ben and his story. [color=E948FC] “Okay, so t’is is Spicy, also known as Perc, Percy, the P-Man, all t’at fun stuff. We met last semmy and it was a scorcher. Spicy boops ‘is way inta our way and ‘e gones boom ta t’e ground, right? Dee was super duper upsetti ‘cause like, rude, but t’en it was all ‘eart eyes and rainbow vommy ‘cause ‘e was in love or somet’in’, right? Well, Spicy was as ‘is name suggests, spicy AF. Like, makes me look like a candle kinda ‘eated, yeah? So I try ta do t’e whole light t’in’, ya know, where ya got t’e flashlight or whatevs and get t’e eyes ta do t’e t’in, yeah? Aaaaaaaand I was just tooooo good at what I do so I maaaaay ‘ave, possibly, kinda, sorta set ‘is jacket on fire. Now, in my defense, who in t’e world wears [i]veltet[/i] in t’e summer in Cali? It’s waaaaay outta season, not ta mention function? Yeeeesh, velvet gets even a [i]speckle[/i] o’ dirt and it’s over. Just trash t’e whole t;in’. So anyways, ‘e gets [i]even[/i] spicer, like cali reaper spicy yeah? And I’m chill ‘bout it. It was ‘is fault for runnin’ inta us, but I don’t say t’at or it’ll be a whole debacle and I’ll cry and ‘e’ll wanna fight and not wort’ it, [i]trust[/i] me. So of course, t’is is all on Dee’s birt’day, so I be t’e better person and I ‘ave Pa make me a new jacket on t’e fly ‘cause ‘member, Dee’s all ‘ead over ‘eels so I wanna be t’e better person on Dee’s bit’day and give ‘im t’e jacket as a pressi ta make up wit’ lover boy all t’at. And t’en we all try out for t’e Contest, Dee and I get on t’e same team but Rillie get’s separated which I only cried ‘bout for like…. Three or four days. Nah def like a week, but Spicy is on our team, right? T’at’s when we meet Posson-Pas, our Prof. We don’t know t’ey’re double trouble - well, not [i]t’e[/i] Double Trouble, but like t’e same person, ya know? - and so, fyi I will keep callin’ Poisson-Pas Poisson-PAs so ya know I’m talkin’ ‘bout Spicy and not Poisson-Pas. Wait, no ot’er wya ‘round! - So, Poisson-Pas tries ta blow us up, first day trainin’ was an obsti course and t’en a bomb. Idk if ya know t’is but I may seem real confident ‘round explosives, Idk ‘ow ta disarm one. So t’at was stressful, especially since Poisson-Pas was teleportin’ Beanie and ‘im ‘cross stuff t’at I coil- no, Spicy was teleportin’ t’em, not Poissan-Pas, sorry - couldn’t fly ‘cross yet and it was  whole t’in’, yeeesh. I was t’e Spicy one durin’ t’at. Who t’e ‘eck make a canoe a cross walk? Poisson-PAs is gunna get a talkin’ ta after all t’is. Anyways, so now we got two Spicy’s, two Poisson-Pases ‘cause Spicy can pop t’rough space [i]and[/i][ time sp Poisson-PAs is Spicy who is retired after all t’e bad stuff ‘appens. But, Spicy starts ta date Dee, is like a whole little puppy trailin’ ‘round behind Dee all t’e time, yeah? Spicy stiiiiiiiiiiiiiill doesn’t wanna say we’re friends, even t’ough we totes my goats are. Fast forward ta ‘alloween and t’en we ‘ave t’is real spooky ‘aunted ‘ouse. I reaaaaaaaally didn’t wanna go get t’e ‘ouse but I get everyone dressed up in She-Ra stuff and do photos and it’s super awesome, but also like kinda not ‘cause Rillie [i]and[/i] Dee get in wit’ t’eir peeps and so it’s just me and my little lonesome all over ‘ere ‘cause Rillie like, ‘ooked up wit’ our group friends so t’e group just kinda pops me out, but t’at all got fixed up so its good, I def don’t think ‘bout t’at anymore! So t’en t’e ‘aunted ‘ouse rocks Rillie’s world. Unconscious. Down for t’e count. All t’ese t;in’s and so Beanie and me, or was it Leah and me idr, get inta it ‘cause like I’m chillin’ out Rillie and t’ey come in tellin’ me I’m wrong so Spicy is nice enough ta pop t’em all t’e way over ta t’e dorms and plops t’em in a ‘allway ‘cause like, Spicy did not ‘ave t’e range, but did it anyway and t’at was real nice o’ ‘im!”[/color]

Danni paused for a half a second to grab air. [color=E948FC]“So t’en, we all nearly get murdered by ‘Cadie. We wanna do t’e trainin, we wanna do t’e cool stuff, we wanna rock and roll, but ‘Cadie ain’t ‘avin’ it, yeah? We’ll, some timey-whimey stuff ‘appens and t’en one version of us is dead and t’e ot’er version of us, t’is version of us, is not which I’m down for. Dee and Beanie convince ‘Cadie ‘e should go ta jail and t’en we all go on break - a little break wit’ a loooooooooooot goin’ on, no need ta go t’rough all t’at - but we come back and we ‘ave a little meetin’ wit’ Couli-poo and we all get As in all our classes! Which like, t’ank goodness ‘cause I was def gunna fail somet’in. What, idr but I feel like one teach ‘ad it out for me. [i]Ya didn’t turn in your ‘omework on time, t’at’s not ‘ow ya spell t’at, t’at’s made up, no your brot’er can’t take t’e test in your body ‘cause it’s still cheatin’[/i] yadda yadda, always somet’in’, you feel? Kinda rude, but whateves. I got a A ‘cause t’ey almost let me die so who won? Me!”[/color] Danni stated smugly, looking like the cat who got the cream. [color=E948FC]“Oh wait, t’is is ‘bout Poisson-Pas and Spicy. Aaaanyways, do ya know who [i]doesn’t[/i] show up? Dee and Spicy! Do you know why? I wish I didn’t. ‘Cause t’ey did, ya know, [i]butt stuff[/i] for t’e first time. And do ya know ‘ow Dee tells me? I’m walkin’ up ta t’e dorm after t’e meetin’, Spicy and Dee are outside t’e door, Beanie and Leah and Rillie are all t’ere already and t’en guess what, guess ‘ow ‘e tells me, when I’m fully plannin’ on tearin inta ‘im for leavin’ me ta fend for myself? [i]Text[/i]! No gentle let down, no winin’ and dinin’, nope. Just lay it aaaaaaaall out t’ere. And ya know me, I’m a little… reactive so I promptly set ‘alf t’e dorm on fire, especially since I mad everyone friendship bracelets! Buuuuut t’is is ‘ow t;is cute was finally born! Shock induced inferno!”[/color] Danni poked at the snoozing dragon in her harness. 

[color=E948FC]“So of course, I’m a little jelly ‘cause like, someone is stealin’ my best friend and brot’er away from me, yeah? ‘Course, tbh, reaaaal ‘ard ta be angy when ya got a newborn dragon in your ‘ands. So t’at kinda, sorta fades away right? So fast forward ta t’e Contest and we’re all ‘ittin’ t;e field. Lotsa weird stuff ‘appens wit’ t’e ot’er team and we all get slammed inta t’e same one. Spicy is ‘bout ta give up ‘is spot - which was super lame. If we ‘ad too many peeps and someone tried ta tell me t’at I wasn’t gunna be on t’e field, it would been a whole lotta more t’at ‘alf a dorm - but Vicky doens’t wanna fight so ‘e slips and slide right inta t’e open slot and ‘its t’e field. Ya saw t’e whole t’in’ of course, eeespecially when I almost smacked inta ya.”[/color] Danni booped Ben on t’e nose and laughed. [color=E948FC]“And t’en t’e whole Entity t;in’ and I give t’e whole team a ‘ug because t’ey all deserved it after goin’ t’rough all t’is stuff and also, ‘ow often can ya do a mass team ‘ug of everyone and each o’ t’em at t’e same time? Def t’e first time I ever did t’at much magic and will def be t’e last time. Dee can keep ‘is mambo jambo, no t’ank you. I was so sick after t’at I could like see t’e inside of me ‘ead,. Did not like t’at one bit. So, t’en we ‘ave t;’is whoooooole adventure durin’ winter break, yeah? Spicy needs ‘elp removin’ Fred so ‘e kidnaps me from my ‘ouse and plaps me in ‘is. And we get real close durin’ it! Like, Spicy tells me ‘bout ‘is whole touchy, feely t’in’, but after I sit in ‘is lap ta ‘elp deal wit’ Fred and ‘e watches me shower, even t’ough I almost burned down ‘is ‘ouse and ‘e popped us inta a bay and ‘e almost drowned if I didn’t get ‘im and almost do CPR, I finally get ‘im ta France right? ‘Is whole closet, btw, suits. Formal wear, which like get it but also color? Hello? So I get ‘im ta our usual place and we do a whole photoshoot for Dee for Christmas. Was it for Christmas or just ‘cause? Idk, but I can show ya one day once Spicy is a little chiller wit’ t’e new peeps. I do good work! We should do a photoshoot for you and Sauna Boi sometime too. He seems like t;e kinda guy who wants his boyf as cute as button. And like, you already fit tat but a little clothin’ and phot magic? Take t’at ta t’e whole next level ya know? [/color] Danni framed Ben with his fingers, humming to himself as he thought but he jolted back to what he was doing. 

[color=E948FC] “Oh, but Spicy at t’is point is tots dead. Like, ‘eart attack durin’ t’e tourney, it was very upsetti spagetti. We was eatin’ t;at like nobody’s business. So we t’row a ghost meetin’, idr what is called, so Papa take us ta t’e room and tries ta call Spicy. Shoot, no Poisson-Pas, I’m talkin’ ‘bout Poisson-Pas, not Spicy. Tries ta call Poisson-Pas, which duh doesn’t work ‘cause ‘e ain’t dead, but ‘fore we could talk ‘bout t;at, Beanie gets inta Papa’s ‘ead and drags us in wit’ ‘er and t’at’s a biiiiiiig no no in our ‘ouse. Pops is [i]deat’ly[/i] terrified o’ telepat’s ‘cause when ‘e was in the MU, ‘e got ‘is brain rocked a lot and always ‘ad ta try ta kill t’e peeps ‘e loved. So t’at’s a whole problem t’at kinda makes us forget ‘bout Poisson-Pas not showin’ up when we called. But now, fast-froward, Dee has t’is journal t’in’ from Poisson-Pas back when Poisson-Pas wanted ta talk wit’ ‘im after t;e first disaster wit’ Spicy, which ‘e [i]knew[/i] would ‘appen ‘cause it already ‘appened ya know. Dee ‘as a vision of… ‘onestly, idr but it showed a buncha dead people, ‘cludin’ ‘im and us!, and t’en ‘e reads t’is journal and we learn t’at Poisson-Pas is Spicy [i]after[/i] we all get got and ‘e goes full on alcoholic bender, but wit’out t’e alcohol I t’ink if t’at makes sense, and t’ats what all t’ese photos are but t’en ‘e settles ‘ere ta try ta change t’e whole timeline ta stop us from gettin’ got and Dee from takin’ t’e silly slide in ta t’e next realm but someone found out and now Poisson-PAs got got and we are gunna ungot got ‘im!”[/color]

Ben listened attentively to Danni’s explanation. He had questions, but for the first time in a while he felt like he had a grasp on what the last few months had been like for Danni and his friends. He also understood Percy a lot more now. He sipped his cup of tea, sliding Danni’s over to him. There was a small weight lifted while Percy and Dorian were gone. Though, he was unsure of where they had gone. It did give him some time to think though. Ben didn’t consider himself smart. He was decent enough at science, which he attributed to his parents' love of the subject. With Danni’s explanation, as convoluted as it got, he was able to put the pieces together, finally. Ben nodded along. 

[color=cde0e1] “Thank you. Okay, so, something terrible happens. Percy time travels and becomes your teacher under the pseudonym Nemo. Puts you guys through the wringer trying to impart the skills you will need for this future terrible thing. Got in trouble for this and was falsified as dead. You guys figured out he wasn’t dead. Dorian has the book with clues. We are trying to find more information before we go and rescue Nemo.”[/color] Ben nodded again. That made enough sense. He was obviously going to keep helping. There was no reason not to, actually there were a plethora of reasons to help. 

[color=cde0e1] “Unless that book with the strange writing is what we were looking for... we should get back to searching. We don’t know how long it will be until a teacher happens to be passing by and hears us.”[/color] Ben made a mental note to clean up the tea set too. 

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Gemini closed the tear in which they were able to see the future events of their lives. Turning towards a fountain Dorian had seen many times when entering the realm, and seeing his new form within the reflection of the water that flowed. A soft, quiet, exclamation as he realized they did more than simple possession, more than what had happened with the DemiUrge. They'd become one being. He did, however, still have a job to do, and as his hand stretched out towards the open space before him, a simple appeared, the symbol of Gemini ♊️ with its left half was a deep red, the right a soft purple, and the center of it all began to glow a soft pink hue before opening up and showing the office where Danni and Ben were sat. Gemini stepped through the doorway, sitting on Nemo's desk as he picked up the book that was meant to be translated, and looked towards Danni and Ben. [Color=db619c]”Sorry about that guys…we worked it all out.”[/color]

He opened up the book, his legs crossed beneath him, one hand curled and tapping against his chin. The symbols and letters seemed to shift and move before his eyes, as the meaning that previously had been undecipherable became obvious. He craned his neck, absorbing the information as he quickly turned through the pages, not reading in depth but understanding the general content of Nemo’s journal. He made a pleased noise, before snapping the book shut. [Color=db619c]“This is Poisson-Pas’ notes on the structure of Otherworld and its politics. We should bring this with us. It’ll take us a while to read it all.”[/color] He then picked up the tea he had left behind, before tossing it back and draining it in a single gulp. [Color=db619c]”Thanks again for that, Ben.”[/color]

[color=E948FC]“Oh yeah, Poisson-Pas def ‘as a lot more-”[/color] Danni did a double take. [color=E948FC]“Wait, ya got t'at? Like, all o’ it? Like, no more questions, no need ta repeat myself, not'in’ ‘bout ‘ow ‘ot'in’ I said made no sense or was too much or my accent was too ‘ard ta listen ta?”[/color] Danni blinked a few times, stunned at that. Sometimes, Danni didn't even know what he was saying and he was the one who said the things. He really didn't fault anyone for it; Danni also forgot half the things that came out of his mouth because there was [i]a lot[/i]. 

[color=E948FC]“Cool, cool, cool, cool.”[/color] Danni swallowed the knot that was forming in his throat and instead sipped at his tea, wrinkling his nose at the taste. It was better than nothing but Danni heavily preferred coffee. He took a few more sips before a new voice suddenly appear and Danni yelped, his cup tumbling from his hands and hitting the ground. It shattered, tea and ceramic scattered across the ground, and Danni whirled around to face whoever was there. 

[color=E948FC]“I ‘ain't even realized you disappeared! I told you ta stay put ‘cause ya don't know what kinda stuff ya could do! And ya missed my amazin’ recap of t'e Spicy-Poisson-Pas pipelines, which Ben ‘patently understood 100% ‘cause tbh, I ‘ad no idea what was comin’ outta my nout’ for like… 60% of t'at. It was all let t'e brain take t'e wheel and ‘ope it makes sense.”[/color] Danni bounced back over to Ben and squished his cheeks. [color=E948FC] “Aren'tcha just t'e bestest Benni boi? Oh shoot, I gotta clearly t'at up or t'ey're gunna know we were ‘ere!”[/color] Danni gasped as he spotted his own mess, hastily pulling open cabinets to try and find cleaning supplies. 

[color=cde0e1] “Uh, welcome back, and you’re welcome. Is that book what we were looking for then?”[/color] Ben smiled at Danni after he wiggled out of Danni squishing his cheeks. [color=cde0e1] “And I don’t know if I understood 100% of it, but I understood enough to make the pieces make sense. Your accent isn’t that complicated. I’ve heard harder to understand ones. It did take me a bit to understand it, but I get it now. Honestly, once you get going on a subject and you mostly stay linear with what you’re saying it isn’t that hard. It is only when you bounce around between a bunch of subjects that I get a bit lost.”[/color] 

Gemini scooted off of the desk, removing his legs from underneath himself as he stood on the floor, one hand on his hip holding the book the other pointing out towards the mess that Danni had made. [Color=db619c]”Missed it? D I lived it. Any roads, I know [i]exactly[/i] what I can do thank you very much.”[/color] He stuck his tongue out at Danni. Soft pink energy began to glow around the mess and shattered porcelain before it moved backwards in time fixing itself and returning to how it was before Danni had shattered it. [Color=db619c]”See? But yeah, seems like this was the secret we expected him to be keeping. Not sure we'd find much else of use in here beyond memories of a time that hasn't happened.”[/color] 

He paused for a moment, before picking up Danni’s teacup, and knocking that one back as well. [Color=db619c]”I know you hate tea.”[/color]

[color=E948FC]“Poissan-Pas and Spicy are bot’ super picky ‘bout cleanliness, ‘ow does ‘e not ‘ave-”[/color] Danni heard the porcelain clatter as it fixed itself and Danni glanced over, gaped, and then a mischievous smile crawled over his face. He sauntered over to Gemini and threw his arm over his shoulders. [color=E948FC]“Well, well, well, t'at's a real inchrestin’ power ya got t'ere. Ya know, I gotta few pranks t'at we could pull ta start t'e year wit’ t'at kinda stuff. ‘ow long ya gunna be stickin’ ‘round? We gotta a few ‘ours still ‘fore we gotta pass out.”[/color] He blew a kiss at Ben. 

[Color=E948FC]“You are like t'e only one who t'inks t'at, Bennie boi. But I love t'at ‘boutchu.”[/color] 

Ben felt his face warm up when Danni blew the kiss at him. [color=cde0e1] “So, uh, what now?”[/color] He had been heading back to his room when they had been pulled into this distraction. Ben wasn’t sure what to make of... whatever it was that Dorian and Percy had become. Their power was interesting and he had a sort of an inkling of how they could do it considering Percy’s power set. He knew that when Dorian did the merging thing it would create powerful beings. Part of him wondered what his power combined like that would be. He let it pass by though and looked at the tea cabinet, he needed to clean all of that up before they left. So he set to washing the tea cups and dumping the leftover tea and water. 

Gemini didn’t stiffen or appear the slightest bit unnerved as Danni threw an arm around his shoulders. [Color=db619c]“What did you have in mind?”[/color] he asked with a devilish grin. A few options immediately populated in his head. There were some members of the group who could be fun to mess with, yes, but he had far greater ambitions. There were some people at this school who had gone unpranked far too long, people who were thought to be untouchable. Headmaster Coulson. The Scarlet Witch. Firestar. They could prank them all. And he would. He was about to get into his scheme when his stomach growled loudly, and his gaze drifted to the bowl of (doubtlessly expired) candy on Nemo’s desk. 

He attacked it like a starving piranha. Gemini turned to face Ben as he asked his question, mouth full of candy, some that contained the plastic wrapper still as his tongue stopped midway from unwrapping it. A Werthers fell out and onto the floor, rolling loudly in the silence as he contemplated Ben's question. [Color=db619c]”Food. Oooooo and a movie! You guys wanna watch a movie? Pleeease!”[/color]

[color=E948FC] “OMG, yaaaaas. T'e carnival is still goin’ on so we can t'ose t'at terrible, pore cloggin’ delicious corn dogs, fried ice cream, churros- pretty much everyt'in’ terrible for ya before t'ey start slammin’ t'e reality ‘healthy stuff at ‘cha.”[/color] Danni bounced up and down excitedly, his own stomach growling at the idea. [color=E948FC] “Ben, whatcha wanna get? ‘ave ya ever ‘ad fried ice cream? Omg, we can share one of t'ose giant hot dogs! Can we, please, please, please? It'll be fuuun!”[/color] Danni bounded over to Ben while Gemini snatched up the candies and stuffed his face to help put the dishes away. He hip checked Ben gently as he slid in next to him. 

[color=E948FC]“What movie we wanna watch? Technically, its Spicy's b-day bit I guess it's Gemini's too ‘cause it's ‘is first day ‘ere so bday boy's pick!”[/color] 

[color=cde0e1] “Americans,”[/color] Ben sighed. [color=cde0e1] “How the heck do you fry Ice Cream? Wouldn’t it just melt? But yes I guess I’ll share a hot dog. But no mustard on my half, or hot sauce.”[/color] There was probably something else that Danni could add to his hot dog to make Ben suffer from the spicyness, but he hoped his point would be caught at least. 

[color=cde0e1] “I’m down to watch a movie. I don’t really care what. I’m not super picky. My parents had very different tastes so we’d always watch something different when we watched movies together. They’d switch who was picking.”[/color] 

Gemini snorted, wiggling his eyes at Danni and Ben. [Color=db619c]”Try not to smooch when you get to the middle of the dog you two.”[/color] He vanished from where he stood, appearing against the wall, leaning against it as he looked at the pair before him. [Color=db619c]”Get me a chili dog, four churros, two bags of cotton candy, aaaaand…like five fried ice creams. I can get the movie room all set up for us. I'm thinking …Pirates! Jack Sparrow! Will Turner, the whole Shebang!”[/color] He mocked swordplay as he spoke, snatching up Nemo’s sword. The sword shifted once more, elongating to match Gemini’s frame, and he pointed the blade at the pair in a challenge.

[Color=db619c]“You best start believing in ghost stories, Danni, Ben. You’re in one!”[/color] he cackled.  Gemini giggled, but it echoed around the room like a phantom child running amuck in a haunted house.

[color=E948FC]“Oh, it's so good Bennie Boi! Ya gotta wrap it in cornflakes and sugar and cimimmin and pop t'at yumminess in t'e fryer! So gooooooood.”[/color] Danni explained excitedly, helping dry things as Ben rinsed. [color=E948FC] “No mustard? Wiiild choice, Bennie, but we can work wit’ it, we can work wit’ it. Just ketchup t'en, or ya a relish kinda kind too?”[/color] Danni scoffed at Gemeni's teasing and flicked water at him. 

[color=E948FC]“Listen, I ain't no ‘omecter. If either o’ t'em wanna kiss me, t'en t'ey need ta talk ta each ot'er first.”[/color] Danni stuck his tongue out at Gemini. [color=E948FC] “Plus, I t'ink ‘is boyf would be reaaaaaal comfy spookin’ me for t'e rest of my life.”[/color] 

Danni laughed at Gemini's playfulness. [color=E948FC]“Okay, perf! You know ‘ow ta set up t'e movie nest. T'e extra stuff is in my bag - I get ta be in t'e middle!”[/color] Danni wiggled his finger in Gemini's face. [color=E948FC] “And I take my movie viewing very seriously. I will cry if it's not perfect.”[/color] 

[color=cde0e1] “I like relish.”[/color] Ben liked pickles in general. He froze for a few seconds when Danni insinuated that he or Chase could kiss him if they talked about it and wanted to. Then went back to finishing cleaning up the rest of the mess from making tea. If Dorian/Percy combo wasn’t there he would have told Danni right then and there that Chase and him [i]had[/i] talked about it, and that Ben did want to try kissing Danni. He had become more certain he had similar feelings for Danni that he had had for Chase. His feelings for Chase were deeper now. [color=cde0e1] “Pirates is a good movie. I’m down,”[/color] Ben agreed to the movie choice. 

Gemini quickly bit Danni’s finger, before [i]popping[/i] again and reappearing on Nemo’s chair. He put one leg on each arm rest, roughly balancing, before he snagged the chair with his telekinesis and slowly began to spin it. Evidently one of the people who made him up had undiagnosed ADHD. [Color=db619c]“Yes, yes, I know how to build a nest, I’ve spent enough time on AO3.”[/color] 

Danni screeched as his finger was chopped on. He pouted at the faint teeth impression. [color=E948FC]“What is AO3 and ‘ow does it ‘elp you make a movie nest? T'at's a very specific kind o’ nest.”[/color] Danni shook his hand out and then slipped his arm through Ben's. [color=E948FC] “Okay, let's get rollin’! T'e night ain't gettin’ any younger and we got a ‘uge order ta fetch! Ready, Bennie boi?”[/color] 

Ben nodded. He looked at the door. They had been phased through it previously and he had not forgotten the piles of flowers and other things outside it.

[color=cde0e1] “Are we just barging out, or...”[/color] he trailed off leaving the question hanging. 

Gemini had a mischievous grin upon his face. Giggling once more as the haunting echoed through the space and he wrapped his arms around Ben and Danni's shoulders. [Color=db619c]”Oh don't you worry about that Ben. We've got you two covered.”[/color] Soft pink energy enveloped them all, time seemed to halt as all sounds died around them, and in a bright flash of pink, they all warped out of the space. Ben and Danni would appear out into the fair grounds, time frozen until the pink dissipated and sounds and motion came crashing back into life, while Gemini appeared within the trios room and began to set up the movie nest.

A little less than thirty minutes later, the three boys were reunited, Danni and Ben struggling under the weight of the food - and Amelie sniffing a little too curiously at the fried ice cream. Gemini had already plopped down on the right side of the nest - a tangled mess of blankets and pillows, the couches in the school’s movie room rearranged and shocked together to create a makeshift conversation pit - and the moment the other two settled down, the movie began to play, brought to dazzling reality with the Future Foundation’s proprietary liquid crystal display. It was probably for the best that Ben had already seen Pirates - while Danni talked nonstop throughout it, Gemini delivered every line of Keira Knightley, descending into a fit of giggles when Elizabeth tried on the corset, choking out [Color=db619c][i]“difficult to say!”[/i][/color], and jumping up to his feet to scream [Color=db619c][i]“parley!!!”[/i][/color]

Despite shoving his face with enough food to feed a small army, Gemini slowly crashed - the quotes coming less often, pillows barely being randomly thrown at Danni and Ben, and the last fried ice cream only half heartedly eaten. Like a child, he curled up next to Danni, one hand loosely on Danni’s arm as his eyes fluttered closed. He was snoring softly soon after, completely missing Elizabeth and Jack’s rum consumption. 

And then, suddenly, there were two sleeping boys where there had been one, Percy held securely in Dorian’s lap, his head tucked into his neck, Dorian’s free arm entangled around Danni, and Percy’s hand lightly holding onto Danni’s.

Ben had been quiet while they got food. He had tried a fried ice cream before placing his own order of a couple. He did like it. Though it was decadent in a way he wasn’t quite used to. He spent most of that time thinking about what Danni had said. During the movie he happily said quotes along with the others, he was a bit less exuberant than the other two. Overall it was fun and he was glad he had seen the movie before. If he hadn’t this would have been stressful. He made a mental note to never watch an old movie with them without watching it first. 

Finally Gemini fell asleep and popped into two different people again. Ben blinked at the pair of them sleeping on Danni’s leg. He sat there quietly for a moment, making sure they weren’t going to wake up suddenly. Then spoke quietly to Danni, [color=cde0e1] “Hey, you know how you said that you wouldn’t kiss me unless Chase and I discussed it first?”[/color] He took a deep breath. [color=cde0e1] “We actually have. Chase was a bit jealous of you. I met you on the same day, but you were my friend first. And when we were on the trip I was texting you a bunch that Chase wasn’t sure if we were an item. We talked about it, and he said that if I like you too that’d be okay with him. He wouldn’t be mad if we kissed... If you wanted to kiss.”[/color] 

Danni stared at Ben blankly. He'd been about to comment how relieved he was they were two people again, he was about to suggest they get them into bed, he was about to start brainstorming all the silly little pranks they could play on the two (shaving cream mustaches were permanently banned after seeing Poissan-Pas's trauma revolving around them) but everything in his head hit a hard wall as Ben informed him with [i]no warning[/i] Ben and Chase discussed kissing him. Danni opened his mouth once, twice, and shut it each time as nothing came tumbling out. Anxiety bubbled in his stomach. 

Kissing was nice, Danni liked kissing. He liked cuddling and kissing and hand holding and casual affection. And he envisioned having Ben wrapped up in his lap or popping his head on Ben's shoulder when training was real rough, of having him sit on the sink counter while Danni did his facial routine and listened to his day, or of getting into pillow fights at the strangest hours of the day just because they'd been coupled up for too long while it was raining and it sounded real nice. He didn't dare imagine Chase - pressed up against his back while they laid in bed as the morning broke and an alarm was blaring, racing to the top of stairs to see who got to give the other a piggyback ride, sparring with powers and without simply because they were a tough match up for each other. And he certainly couldn't bring himself to imagine all of them - playing footsie under a table while they picked food off each other's plates, board games nights at the Kingston-Grey's where the three of them sat on one sofa, limbs entangled, and argued about the best way to take down their parents, swapping lazy kisses and words of affection as they stared at the stars from the patio of a cabin far away from everyone else. 

He didn't want to think about what came after that.

Instead, what Danni focused on was the jealousy. [color=E948FC]“Sauna Boi made you cancel on me and t'en claimed us talkin’ was a problem?! ‘ow rude!”[/color] Danni grumbled, unwilling to wake the sleeping pair. His hand tightened around Percy's. [color=E948FC]“Okay, uh, well, Bennie boi. I'mma be ‘onest ‘ere wit'cha. You are cute as a button and I t'ink anyone would be crazy ta turn ya down, so do I wanna smooch you til ya can't breat’? Yes. But I also know ya ‘ad a ‘ard connection when comin’ ‘ere so I don't wanna be like a [i]thanks for bein’ my friend t'in’[/i] kiss. I can get t'at kiss on the cheek or somet'in’ out and ‘bout but if ya t'ink you want more of us, t'en pop on up ‘ere and kiss me.”[/color] Danni patted his thigh. 

[color=E948FC] “Also, cause I don't wanna wake t'ese two silly ducks.”[/color] Danni admitted sheepishly. 

That was fair. It didn’t feel like a rejection either. He had opened up to Danni and didn’t feel like he was shutting him out. So Ben smiled and shook his head. [color=cde0e1]“It isn't a thank you for being my friend kiss. I don't want to wake them either, but I do want to kiss you.”[/color] 

Danni smiled back, a little shyly, but gingerly unwound Percy's hand from his and slid it into Dorian's. He carefully shifted Dorian down into the nest with Percy still in his lap and wiggled away from the slumbering pair so they wouldn't disturb them. He swung forward so he was kneeling instead and gently brought a hand to cradle Ben's face, a thumb caressing his cheek as he pressed their foreheads together and their noses brushed as Danni scanned the younger boy's face for any hint of changes. 

[color=E948FC]“T'is okay so far?”[/color] Danni murmured into the silence of the room. Danni could feel the anticipation buzzing in him and he waited for confirmation, his eyes darting down to Ben's lips and back up again. 

Ben could feel his heart pounding as Danni touched his face. He was a little surprised because he had thought Danni would want to wait. This quiet moment felt right though. He smiled and nodded.  [color=cde0e1] “Yes,”[/color] he said in a whisper, his voice soft, and breathy. 

Danni hummed at the permission. With a feather light touch, he tilted Ben's head back and tilted his in time so he could glide down with barely any effort. Danni paused just a moment, once last glance to ensure he was comfortable, and then pressed his lips to Ben's, nibbling softly at his bottom lip. His lips were chapped, a little rough on his, but Danni let out an appreciative noise at the contact. 

Ben closed his eyes as Danni’s lips met his. Warmth and a slight tingle spread from where Danni nibbled on his lip. Ben enjoyed it, he wanted more. He couldn’t help cataloging how he felt kissing Danni compared to Chase. His body’s reactions were similar. Danni was gentlier, soft and guiding. He liked both. Ben could tell that he would want to kiss Danni more, if he’d let him. He kissed back, pressing into Danni a little more. A small noise of enjoyment escaping between their lips. 

Danni smiled into the kiss as Ben pressed closer and Danni deepened the kiss, his tongue running gently across Ben's lower lip in permission as he wound an arm around his shoulders. The rougher texture of Ben's lips on his was a pleasant sensation as Danni sighed contently, shifting forward until he could straddle Ben's lap and wrap both his arms around Ben's shoulder. One hand came up to play with the hair at the back of Ben's neck and the other dropped down his back, fingers tracing the knots of his spine. 

Ben parted his lips at Danni's questing tongue, giving tacit permission. He wrapped his arms around Danni as he climbed onto his lap. A shudder went through him as Danni's hands started to explore him. He definitely liked this. There was no question in his mind about that, as his body reacted. Warmth spread from every spot Danni touched and he wanted more. Ben started to explore Danni with his own questing hands, one going up and pulling Danni in closer. Deeper into the kiss.

Danni hummed happily, his tongue dipping into Ben's mouth to glide along his tongue. He felt tingly and warm all at once and the space where their bodies pressed together was comforting. Danni had always been a tactile person and kissing let him experience so much more. He chased the taste of Ben, letting Ben draw him deeper into the kiss. Danni'd missed kissing and he drank Ben deeply, indulging shamelessly. He wanted to wrap himself around Ben and snuggle, swapping kisses all night (although Danni made a note in the back of his head to start putting chapstick on Ben anytime he applied it himself). 

However, Danni had burning questions so he broke the kiss, eyes fluttering open slowly. He pressed a chaste kiss to Ben's lips, his nose, and his forehead before resting his head gently on Ben's. [color=E948FC]“So, ‘ow ya feelin’ t'ere starlight?”[/color]

Ben let out small sounds while kissing Danni. He tried to keep it from getting too loud considering the two sleeping boys next to him. Disturbing them would end the delightful kissing he was getting from Danni. When Danni pulled away he followed for a moment and then made a slightly unhappy sound at being separated from him. [color=cde0e1] “I feel really good. You?”[/color] He liked the nickname, it was the first non-bug themed nickname someone called him since he had come here.

[color=E948FC]“I feel great. Kinda wanna keep kissin’ ya.”[/color] Danni whispered back, leaning in to do just that when his phone buzzed. He reached into the blankets and fished it out, tongue between his teeth as he propped his chin on Ben's head and scanned Chase's text. [color=E948FC]“Oh! Sauna boi is puttin’ on a party!!!! We gotta go!”[/color] Danni exclaimed loudly, clapping his hand over his mouth as he leaned back to check on the other two. When he realized that they weren't bothered, he sighed in relief. He leaned in to snatch one last peck from Ben and wiggled off his lap, turning to tuck the sleeping pair in a bit more and press a kiss on the top of each of their heads. He held his hand out for Ben to help him out of the ocean of blankets and pillows and stuffed animals. 

[color=E948FC] “Come on! Let's go party and let t'ese two get t'eir bueaty rest!”[/color] 

Ben had been about to agree that he would very much so like to keep kissing Danni when the text came through. The fact that Chase was putting on the party meant that even if Ben could convince Danni to stay put and keep making out to the siren song of the Pirates movie, he had to go. He was not skipping a party being put on by his boy friend, especially not to make out with... someone else. Hmm, he’d have to talk with Danni to see if there was a label and if so what they would use. For now kissing and cuddling buddy was fine with him. 

He ignored his phone that had buzzed at the same time, assuming that it was the same text. [color=cde0e1] “Alright, let’s go.”[/color] He took Danni’s hand and climbed out of the pile. He did look around and found a blanket to put over the sleeping Dorian and Percy. Danni and Ben left to go find the party.