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 Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 7:24 pm
The touch of Julian’s hand seemed to snap Riker out of his thoughts, none of which were very positive. He didn’t look over at Julian, but he twisted his hand enough to be able to at least semi hold Julian’s hand in return. It was a light touch, just his fingers resting over Julian’s, but it was enough for the moment.
“I don’t think Coach will care, no,” he huffed, and when Cassidy didn’t seem to want to take his drink, he pulled it back closer to him. And, since he’d had to point out that he hadn’t been drinking it since Cassidy had shown up, Riker picked it up so he could take a long sip through the straw.
“The team will like having you around again. It gets dull without you,” he admitted, and then shrugged almost so hard that he nearly dropped his drink. It wasn’t like he was lying. And thankfully they only had to go with the end of the season without him because of his injury. There was only so much he could do to ignore his mother in the stands, so he actually did appreciate Cassidy’s enthusiasm.
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Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 7:28 pm
Julian squeezed his hand briefly but his face relaxed and the rest of him followed shortly afterwards. Especially when Riker didn’t spill his drink.
Cassidy pretended like he hadn’t seen the fumble.
“Aw, that’s sweet. Then I’ll definitely come by for motivational support. And to keep things interesting for you. Maybe I’ll start baking or something, I need a new hobby.”
He might not have been teasing about the idea. “If anyone gives me a hard time about it, I’ll just start crying or something.” At this, he laughed. He probably wasn’t teasing about that idea, either.
“I missed you all, you know. I can’t believe they still made me move after the accident. I didn’t know anyone when I left, and it’s not like I could get out and make new friends. I thought about you guys a lot! I’m actually excited to go back to school. Well, for now. We’ll see how I feel about it when they start assigning homework again. Are either of you in any extracurriculars? Julian, you’re so quiet. I want to be friends, too.”
Julian sat up a little straighter. “Um, no, I’m not. Not yet, anyway. But I’m just starting Azure so I want to see what clubs they have. We didn’t have things like that at my old school, but um, I don’t really play any sports or anything.”
“Okay, that’s cool. Maybe I’ll look at the clubs, too. Elliot’s probably got all the details on that, you think?” He looked at Riker but didn’t need an answer and just nodded to himself. “Probably. He’s an overachiever. But I’ll go crazy if I have to go to school and go home and all of you are busy doing something else without me. Are you going to join any clubs, Riker?”
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Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 7:45 pm
“Please don’t,” Riker immediately grimaced in response to Cassidy’s comment about how he’d just start crying or something. He would really rather not have to deal with tears. He didn’t know how to handle them, much less tell the difference if they were fake or not.
Cassidy missing them all…? It felt strangely bittersweet. Riker wasn’t sure how he felt about it. He wouldn’t say it out loud, but he was genuinely relieved to see that Cassidy was okay, all things considered. Although if it was just physical was something else entirely.
And he was being nice to Julian, so that was a plus.
“I don’t know,” he admitted about if he was joining any clubs. It was… complicated. His mom let him play baseball because she liked the excuse to drink and show her support or whatever. But clubs where she couldn’t be in the spotlight…? He had a feeling that she wouldn’t let him.
He did have to try not to snort a little about Elliot being an overachiever. At least he and Cassidy agreed about that.
“I guess I’ll see what’s available. And what everyone else is doing,” he sighed, not as tense as before, but still obviously out of sorts.
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Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 7:46 pm
Cassidy snorted at Riker’s grimace. Mr. Please don’t cry. Okay, Cassidy would still keep it in his back pocket, though. But, for Riker, he wouldn’t bust out the tears for any little thing.
He could still see Riker carrying some tension, but he’d always sort of been like that. Which made Julian all the more interesting. He was sitting close to Riker, and he wore a gentle, reassuring expression. He looked anxious, but in a way that Cassidy could only describe as soft. Like a little fawn who had lost its mother and was trying to make friends with anything even remotely friend-shaped in her absence.
Riker was more like a porcupine ready to stick anyone who got too close. A strange duo, but Cassidy wasn’t going to judge them. He didn’t understand now but he’d have time to figure it out.
“Okay, that’s my plan too. We can figure it out at school. So don’t try to avoid me, I want to hang out.”
He stretched out once more, this time as if he were really stretching, and then he pulled himself back together. “I guess I should get a move on soon. I’m going to the stationary store and then the bookstore and then I’m heading home. I want some cute paper. I’ll write you notes in class. Are you still stingy with your phone number or can I leave you mine? You know, in case I need to text you to tell you I’m not dead.”
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Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 7:54 pm
He couldn’t quite stop the groan that escaped when Cassidy mentioned wanting to hang out. He expected as much. For some reason, Cassidy always seemed to show up to needle him or tease him about something. Or give him veiled compliments that were obviously fake because Cassidy would always smirk or laugh about it after.
Still… there was something that bothered Riker about what Cassidy said just earlier. Or rather what he did. To brush off being so injured that he couldn’t play something that Riker was fairly certain brought him a lot of joy -- enough that he wanted to hang out with the team even if he couldn’t play…?
Was it possible that Riker had missed something…?
“If I give you my number you’ll just harass me,” he frowned across the table, still holding onto Julian’s under it for support. But he let out a long-suffered sigh and pulled out his phone. It was old and cracked, but it still worked when he unlocked it and slid it across the table.
“Text yourself or something… Don’t make me regret it. I’ll block you,” he warned and then finally glanced over at Julian, giving him a sympathetic, but grateful look.
“You wanted to go to the bookstore too, yeah?” They hadn’t really discussed it. They were there to get school supplies and clothes, but…
Julian was going to be new at Azure. And Riker couldn’t always be around to make sure he wasn’t overwhelmed, or if he needed help. As annoying as Cassidy could be, it would be good for Julian to have someone else to rely on when their other friends weren’t around.
“We could check out the stationary store too, if you’d like,” he suggested, and then paused to frown across at Cassidy once more. “Unless you didn’t want the company.”
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Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 7:57 pm
Cassidy barely hid a smile behind his cup when Riker groaned but he seemed pleasantly surprised not only to have Riker’s phone but also company for the rest of the shopping stops he had planned.
And here he was thinking he’d pushed Riker too hard and was just trying to give him an easy path to avoid where Cassidy was going to be if he needed a break.
“No, come with me. I want the company. Please. I’m so tired of doing everything myself. Oh, downside is, I have to take breaks. So if I’m going too slow, you’re allowed to leave me behind.”
“Oh–no, we wouldn’t do that,” Julian insisted. He was trying to do his best to have some sort of presence, even if it was in his nature. He was trying to take some of the burden off of Riker, who wasn’t quite himself, either. “I go slow, too. But, um. It’s because I’m indecisive.”
Cassidy typed in his number with the skill of someone who spent way too much time typing on his phone. He texted himself and, despite his great desire to text something ridiculous, he didn’t want to get blocked right off the bat. He texted ‘Stetsman has a sale on overstock sports supplies, 70% off’. It wasn’t for him, he wasn’t shopping for anything. Cassidy’s phone pinged with the new text message, so he slid Riker’s back across the table.
“Do you two want to head out now or do you want a few minutes to yourselves? I’ll go order another drink to go if you need to hash out any plans behind my back or anything. I don’t mind if you gossip. But do it fast because that line doesn’t look like it’ll take me more than two or three minutes.”
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Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2024 8:08 pm
“You just think deeply about things, and weigh things like cost versus worth versus necessity,” Riker gently corrected Julian. He really didn’t think Julian was indecisive. There were just a lot of factors involved, and if he had the money to do so, he would be much more decisive in getting the things he needed without question. Instead, he had to make sure it was worth the money spent.
He had relaxed enough to offer Julian an encouraging smile, before turning back with narrowed eyes on Cassidy. Except he sighed again and let his expression relax as he stood. Although he gave Julian’s hand one more squeeze before he did so.
“We’re not going to gossip about you. But if you need another drink, you should go ahead and get it. We can collect our things and wait for you,” he said as he took back his phone and glanced down at the text that was sent so he could put the number into his contacts.
He paused as he looked at the screen, and then glanced inquisitively up at Cassidy. There was no frustration in his eyes, just piqued interest and curiosity.
“Thanks,” he eventually said, feeling awkward about it and not really sure what to do about it. Against his better judgment, he sighed and nodded to Cassidy. “If you’re not busy later, or whenever, I could use some help picking out new cleats. I never know what is going to be laughed at or if I’m just being paranoid.”
Being honest with Cassidy of all people was weird, but he was trying to do better. Julian by his side made it easier.
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Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2024 1:26 pm
“You’re paranoid, but it’s okay. I think it’s cute,” Cassidy said offhandedly. He’d seen the way Riker’s face had been so soft for Julian, and the way it twisted when he looked back to Cassidy. He saw it soften a bit, too. “I’ll go with you. I’ll send you pictures of my things, you can tell me if you want any of them. What size shoe do you wear? I’ve got a pair I only wore twice. If you can’t use them, I’m sure someone else can.” He hooked the strap of his bag and shrugged it on as he turned away. “Getting my drink, be back in a minute.”
He sauntered to the line, and if it was with a little too much movement, good. Give Riker something else to huff about.
Julian began to collect the bags; his drink was only half finished so he planned to stretch it out for the rest of the afternoon. Or, at least, as long as he could. To make it worth it.
Because Riker was right. Julian did think deeply about everything. If he was going to spend money instead of save it, he had to make sure that it was being spent responsibly. And now he was thinking deeply about Riker, who had just said they weren't going to gossip about him so Julian didn’t say anything about him. He just whispered to Riker, “Are you okay?”
He didn’t know Cassidy–maybe he’d heard the name in passing, and maybe they shared some of the same friends, but he was in a totally different circle than Julian was and he just wanted to make sure Riker was really okay before being too agreeable about everything.
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Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2024 6:48 pm
Riker rolled his eyes as Cassidy walked off. And he absolutely didn’t watch him as he got in line. He was just making sure he didn’t fall over or something! Or get lost! Or kidnapped! Or--
He was thankfully distracted by Julian, and Riker quickly looked back at his friend with a sympathetic sigh. Yes, another sigh. He didn’t care, he felt very exasperated with Cassidy around.
“Yeah, I’m okay. Sorry if I worried you,” he said quietly in return, gently bumping his elbow with Julian’s as they gathered their things and cleaned up the table.
“Don’t you dare tell him I said this, because he’ll just use it as an excuse to harass me. But he’s not a bad guy. A little, uh, spirited. And he likes to make fun of me, but. I kind of deserve it after everything,” he said with a small shrug. “He’ll be good to have as a friend at Azure. People won’t mess with you if they know Cassidy is your friend. Probably because Cassidy would go and threaten them.”
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Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2024 6:58 pm
Julian was attentively searching Riker’s face when he answered, rapidly trying to deduce as much as he could in the limited time he had to figure it all out.
“I won’t say anything to him,” he promised, but he cast a quick glance as Cassidy rocked on his heels, back to them, in line. It was like he was trying to give them privacy, or maybe he really meant what he said about not caring if they gossiped.
“Are you sure it’s okay, though? You don’t deserve to be made fun of, I don’t think that’s funny. I can ask him to stop if it’s bothering you. I’ll say, um, that it bothers me. Because it does. We don’t have to hang out with someone who makes you uncomfortable. I can just ‘get sick’ and you can take me home if we need an escape.”
He pushed his chair under the table when he was done gathering things, and then Cassidy’s after that. “We can use a code word. You can tell me…oh! Um, just say ‘Julian, you’re looking a little green. Are you okay?’ and I’ll say that I feel dizzy and ask you to take me home. Would that be okay?”
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Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2024 6:59 pm
It was sweet that Julian was worried about him, and Riker couldn’t fully stop himself from grinning. He had the urge to give him a quick hug, but he didn’t want to do that with Cassidy right there. Probably waiting to catch him doing something that he could make fun of him for.
“It’ll be okay,” he promised, and made sure to hoist as many of the bags — especially the heavy ones — as possible before Julian could get it in his mind to pick them up. “If he does anything to really annoy me, I’ll just tell him that we’re leaving. But I’ll keep that in mind for any situation we might need that for. You should use that same code for me. Just in case,” he suggested with a little, amused grin.
“I think some nice stationary or paper or whatever is at that store Cassidy is going to — it’ll be nice to have, especially in boring classes. Or we could get different kinds and write notes on them, but the paper could be the code itself. Like if you’re not feeling great and need to talk, or just sit somewhere quietly, you can give me a ‘Hi, class was good!’ but, like, stationary with bunnies on it means you need a break,” he offered, but despite his early enthusiasm soon seemed like he realized maybe he was being too enthusiastic, and his voice and excitement puttered out at the end.
“Or, you know, we could just pass notes normally.” There was a chance that Julian realized that it was awkward to be around Riker at school, so he might not even have the chance to talk to him. That was fine! That was why Riker wanted him to hang out with Cassidy. And the others, of course.
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Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2024 7:07 pm
Riker was so fast to get some of the heavier bags, and while Julian gave him a look, he didn’t fight for them. Instead, he looked up at Riker with a fond, appreciative smile.
“I like that idea a lot. I hope they have packs of stationery with lots of different paper. I’ve never gotten fancy paper before.”
Fancy sort of meant ‘unnecessary’ but Julian had a little bit of extra spending money, and Riker had gotten so excited about it. Stationary suddenly became Julian’s new hobby, and he was excited to go pick out some designs for himself and Riker.
Riker was working so hard and worrying so much about making sure that Julian had a good time at school. He was taking such great efforts to try and make sure he had people to watch his back, and he seemed so sure that people might give Julian a hard time for being friends with him.
Julian wasn’t afraid of that. He didn’t mind if people wanted to give him a hard time. He’d rather be friends with Riker. And anyway, people wouldn’t mess with him if they knew Cassidy was his friend. Although, he didn’t want anyone to get threatened.
Riker might have lost some steam with the pitch but Julian didn’t. He stepped up onto his tiptoes for a second and beamed up at Riker to try and rekindle some of his faded enthusiasm. “I’ll write you lots of notes, so we’d better get a lot of paper!”
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Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2024 7:09 pm
Oh…
Had he ever noticed how soft and blue Julian’s eyes were? It wasn’t as though he was often so close like this. A hug every now and then. A peck of affection on the forehead. But seeing how bright and cheerful Julian’s expression was--
“Okay, yeah!” he nodded, the smile returning to his face as he kept a hand out, poised as though ready to catch Julian in case he lost his balance. He would just ignore the fact that his ears felt very hot and his cheeks had probably flushed a bit as well.
“We’ll do a lot of stuff with it. Maybe learn origami? I’m just kidding,” he grinned, and then took a cautious step back so he could glance over to where Cassidy was, making sure he didn’t seem like he needed help with anything.
“Whatever you want to do, we’ll have fun with it, okay?” he said, flashing a grin at Julian, and wishing his arms were less full of bags so he could give him a hug. But maybe that was for the best when Cassidy was right there.
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Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2024 7:20 pm
Julian’s smile persisted, and even when his feet were planted back on the ground he still seemed to be brimming with energy. “We’ll have fun,” he agreed. “I want to learn origami, too. I don’t think I’ll be good at it, so maybe you’ll have to guess what I’m making.”
He followed Riker’s eyes to Cassidy, who had already placed his order and looked like he was tapping his foot to the tune of some song in his head while he watched the barista make a strawberry cream milkshake for him.
Either he really didn’t care if they were talking about him or not, or he was very good at restraining himself, because Julian didn’t get the impression that he’d tried to sneak a peek once after saying he’d give them a moment of privacy.
So, Julian took advantage of it.
His arms were still fairly free, light and easy to maneuver, so he wrapped an arm behind Riker’s back and gave him a light squeeze. He went quickly, just in case Cassidy decided to whip around, but the only thing Cassidy did was glance down at his phone, scroll, and then look up to watch them working the machines.
“Thank you for today, Riker. I’m having a lot of fun. And I really appreciate you introducing me to new people. I have a hard time, um. You know, breaking the ice. But if you think Cassidy's okay, I’ll do my best to make a good impression. Um. Even if I’m not sure what we might have in common, except for you. But maybe we’ll all have fun together. And no matter what, I’m excited to go a few more places with you. And then you’ll come over and stay for dinner, right?”
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Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2024 7:23 pm
The little hug was absolutely what Riker wanted, and he was grateful that Julian seemed to be able to read his mind more and more clearly the longer they spent together. It was a good thing, because not everyone tried to understand him, and Riker knew it was the same for Julian. The things they said and did didn’t always match what they actually wanted.
Riker gave him a little squeeze in return and let out a soft laugh as he shook his head.
“You’re doing really good. I expected we would have both needed more breaks from,” he paused to gesture broadly around them. “But I think your energy is infectious. And with Cassidy around, we’ll have more reminders to take a breath and sit.”
His grin was indication of his teasing, and he finished up with a nod.
“I’d like to go over for dinner, thank you. Besides, I’ll have to get all my stuff put away in one of your drawers!” He lifted the bag with his new things, although he doubted Julian needed the reminder. It was simply to make sure Julian knew that Riker hadn’t forgotten.
“I’m having a lot of fun too. Thanks for helping me out. I uh, obviously don’t do well when I feel cornered,” he admitted, but he knew that Julian knew, which was why he’d given him all the attention he had. Riker just wanted to make sure he knew it was appreciated.
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