Welcome to Gaia! ::

Teddy was slouched uncomfortably in the chair across from Mr. Banner, the expanse of his desk was in between them. This was his second meeting with the man since his...incident in which he'd thrown the jocks around in the hallway for making fun of Billy.

"Hey sir."

"So...Theodore..." Mr. Banner began, pulling out the checkers board and all the pieces, "How've you been?"

"Pretty good sir."

"Anything...rise up that...pissed you off?"

"Not...rea--well, yeah. But it's not like I could hit the person who did it."

"What happened?"

"Well, Billy went to apologize to Hartley since they haven't been getting along...and for some reason, Hartley punched him. And then, the next day, I ...I uh was there when Wallace asked Hartley on a date, and Hartley just turned him down cold. It was kinda brutal sir."

"You don't need to call me sir, Teddy."

"Sorry si--...sorry."

"It's ok. So...why couldn't you hit him?"

"I just couldn't...he's ..well, I thought he was my friend. Maybe not since he keeps hurting people I care about, but, I'm not going to hit him. He gets picked on enough by the other assholes in this school. Pardon my language sir."

"It's fine Teddy. So, you protect the people you care about?"

"Of course sir. Who wouldn't?"

Mr. Banner sat a moment longer, watching Teddy's face. The boy hadn't learned of the world where people hurt the ones they loved or couldn't protect them from anything.

"You do know that if you are ever upset enough to hit someone, you're to come to me first, correct Teddy?"

"Yes."

"Ok, you can go for now. See you next week Teddy."

"Yes Mr. Banner." Teddy stood slowly, giving him a respectful nod before he left the room, closing the door behind him. He headed back to his dorm room, catching sight of Lisa Snart outside his door and Billy outside Hartley's. Shoot. These were probably a couple of conversations he did not want to walk into.

"Grr. Fine! Be that way! Enjoy second-rate vodka from now on! And ice cubes! I'm going to have my brother and his crazy ice-related smarts make sure that you don't get a decent ice cube for your drinks from now until eter-"

"What are you doing?"

Hartley stood behind Lisa, clothes changed and his hair wet. She spun around and smiled innocently.

"Just crazy-ranting. All us girls do it, haven't you noticed? Oh, wait, I guess you haven't."

Lisa, composure completely regained, strolled away regally as Hartley raised an eyebrow and sighed before following her.

"Hey, Lisa? What are you and Len doing for Thanksgiving?"

"Going back home to Keystone to be with our folks. And then we're going to rob the Keystone Diamond Exchange together. It's a time for being with family."

"Oh."

He didn't say much else as the two of them exited the dorms. He noticed Coach Cage walking from the infirmary, muttering to himself about frogs, ducks and dolphins.

"Uh. Lisa? Where are we going?"

"To find Chris."

"He's not back at the dorms?"

"Maybe. I don't know."

"Then...why aren't we starting there?"

"Because then nobody would see this."

On cue, Lisa broke out into tears.

"Where is he? Oh god, I'm so worried! I haven't seen him in days!"

Kids going to and from class all turned their heads and looked at the weeping Lisa. Hartley saw where this was going and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Oh, Hartley, where could Chris be? He was s-s-supposed to have dinner with Len and me, and then he just vanished! Wh-wh-what if something has happened to him? I could never get over it! I love him so mu-u-u-uch!"

Already, Hartley's ears could pick up the sounds of the gossip mill in motion.

"-Saw him yesterday with his ex, Cassie."

"-a jerk, breaking Lisa's heart like that..."

"-heard she spent the night of the big party baking him a pie that he never ate."

Lisa sobbed onto Hartley's shoulder as the power of words spread across the campus. She whispered in his ear.

"See, they're not talking about you anymore, now are they?"

Billy frowned.

Darn...guess he missed Hartley.

He looked around and pondered whether or not he could leave the present in Hartley's room. Or if he should.

He wanted him to have it, but not with Lisa around to bollocks things up.

"Hey babe. Whatcha got?" Teddy peered at the little box, the toe of his shoe tapping against the back of Billy's shoe. Just a little touch to let him know he was there.

Whatever. He'd drink his vodka warm like a man, and she could just stew in her own bitchiness. Hartley was not getting that flute back for a while.

Billy closed his eyes and his ears flushed a scarlet red. After a few moments pass, he opens his eyes and frowns.

"Do you think he'll like it? Hell, do you think he'll even deign to open it? I mean, he doesn't really trust me."

"Eh...I dunno. Probably. He's been a real a*****e all around lately, so he's been screwing himself over left and right," Teddy brushed Billy's hair off his forehead and out of his eyes.

Wallace peeked out into the hallway, a little drunk, his eyes half lidded as he drank straight from the carton. He was still in his boxers, and as he looked down the hallway, he could see Teddy and Billy, and he could hear the shrill whine of Lisa Snart. He headed down the hall just a little, his movements slightly wobbly, then turned and headed back to his dorm room, shutting the door behind him.