Date me, Victor Zsasz

[asyoulike]

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[zsaszle]

Victor looked at his watch to know just how late he was. Huh. Not that late. He slammed the door of his car shut, pocketed the keys and then walked over to the school building, debating if he even felt like going in today. Maybe. Why not? Not as if he had much else going on, Monday morning wasn't exactly a hopping time.

He still slowed down as he approached the stairs, sighing and then stopping for just a moment, looking off at nothing much. What was on his schedule now? He honestly didn't know, so he figured he'd just hang around until break time, then someone could tell him.

This was the latest he had gone in weeks being single, so that was something strange to think about. Usually it happened Monday as he got onto school premises, but he'd slept in today. Didn't feel much different, being single. Less to think about, maybe, there was the downside.

[asyoulike]

Lucius was late, he wasn't fond of being late but sometimes, it happened. His mother went to a party Sunday night and he was concerned about leaving her but she insisted that he had to. He had at least made sure that the neighbours knew and checked it, made sure her meds were nearby and prepared lunch. It was worth being late to ensure she was okay but that didn't quell the anxiety he felt.

As he hurried through the gates, he moved swiftly and carefully avoided running into Victor Zsasz as the other boy stopped in front of him. Of course it was Victor, he stood out a lot, given his lack of hair. Lucius paused and turned his head, looking at Victor as he stood there, looking confused and unsure. He knew he should rush by but at this point, late was late.

What was a little more anxiety? Especially because he was about to speak to Victor Zsasz. Nerds like him did not speak to Victor fucking Zsasz. "Excuse me, are you okay? You seem a little -- off."

[zsaszle]

Victor frowned at the boy, unsure why he was talking to him. Not that he minded, he just hadn't expected it. Did he know him? He couldn't remember him and he felt he would have, he had a memorable face. Few people did. Had he insulted him? Probably not, given he asked about whether he was okay first. Just someone actually concerned, for some reason. That was weird. People weren't usually concerned for Victor, as a general rule.

"I'm all right. Just breathing." Seemed like a good idea. Breathing, being there, feeling as if life was real. "Living. You?"

[asyoulike]

"Same, I should hope." Lucius wanted to talk away but he felt something come up that he had been trying to push down for a while now. He had never had an open opportunity to speak to a guy like Victor Zsasz before and he knew one thing about Victor Zsasz. His whole 'date me for a week' deal. The first person who asked him got to date him for a week... though it always ended in a dumping so Lucius didn't think for most people, it had much of an advantage. Most people.

"I hear you date anyone who asks from Monday to Sunday. Have you been asked yet? All the girls get very excited for Monday." It was strange but interesting.

[zsaszle]

"Yeah. Not sure why that's so exciting." Honestly, he didn't really know what was in it for them. Although he supposed he tended to pay for stuff and all the girls so far had liked that, as well as getting to ride around in his various cars, so maybe it was just a money thing. Usually was. "No one's asked yet. I overslept."

Not that he was sure why he had exactly. Just hadn't felt like getting up, he knew he'd been awake. Or maybe he wasn't even awake now. He did wonder how people could tell.

[asyoulike]

"Now that class is over and we can talk, I have something to tell you both. Please do not over-react and listen to what I have to say." Lucius insisted as he walked down the hallway, between Oswald and Edward, very aware that by lunchtime, everyone would know. If they didn't know already. He was very nervous but the good sort of nervous.

"What did you do? Did you rearrange my locker again?" Oswald was expecting the usual brand of crazy and annoying.

"Today, as I was entering school, I ran into Victor Zsasz. Long story short, we are dating. For the week." Just to clarify the time span and all. "And I think he wishes to sit with me for lunch."

[riddleboy]

"...what?" That was definitely unusual. Maybe he should have braced himself for something weird, given how nervous Lucius seemed, but Edward had honestly just assumed that he was still nervous because he'd been late and over leaving his mother in a precarious state. He could never have predicted this. "Why would you... Wait. You asked him out? You asked out Victor Zsasz? You were the first to ask out Victor Zsasz this week and he agreed?"

He could put together the facts and it still didn't make any more sense.

[asyoulike]

"Yes, I was. I am going to date Victor Zsasz."

"Are you crazy?!" Oswald freaked out, looking over at Edward in panic. "Is he crazy? Why is he crazy? Holy shit. What the fuck, Lucius?"

"I wanted to see what it was like. I have a theory I'm testing."

"The theory that after a week, you'll be killed in this very hallway?!" Oswald couldn't keep it together but Lucius seemed very unphased. Nervous, sure, but not any emotions like he'd expected. No fear or worry, just nervousness and a... wait, he almost looked happy. "Oh my God, you're pleased with yourself!"

[riddleboy]

Taking a deep breath, Edward reached out to right his glasses. He had to approach this in a scientific way, often that was how to get through to Oswald. And clearly Oswald was not going to be with him on a rational path of reasoning over this. Not that he blamed him, his heart was beating fast with worry too. "What is the hypothesis of your theory, Lucius? I want to determine whether it can possibly be worth the potential repercussions of this step."

[asyoulike]

"I think I'm gay. This summer, when interning at Wayne Enterprises, I developed a crush. A distant one with no chance of reciprocation but nonetheless - it was on a man. I was curious if I was gay and if I was ever going to be capable of dealing with dating. This is the ideal way to do it. It will end on Sunday and I know he doesn't love me so no one will get hurt yet it allows me to pretend and learn." Lucius clarified as he looked down at his shoes and wondering if it was all a good idea. He thought it was.

After all, he wanted to test but he didn't want to hurt someone. "I want to be careful."

[zsaszle]

There was still a lot of debate going around at first, about who Victor was really dating, since Victor notoriously didn't answer questions much. However, once he waited by Lucius's locker after school, took his bag to carry it for him and held hands with him all the way to his car, where he held the door for him, the situation was pretty clear.

Sea watched that without saying anything as he leaned close to where Roman was standing, talking to people. He wasn't part of Roman's friend group, he was just Roman's. Not as if he had interest in being part of that group either. However, Roman had wanted to keep an eye on Victor, so he did walk over to get his attention, gesturing to him as he walked with Lucius.

[trustfiend]

Roman came over and watched Victor leave, sadly resting his head on the side of the wall and lamenting this sorry state. Lately, Victor barely paid any attention to him and now, with Lucius, it seemed even more insulting. He didn't like him with Lucius - he wasn't sure why, it just really got under his skin.

Pouting sadly at Sea, he looked at him, eyes wide with desperation. "What do we do?" He wasn't sure what but he wanted to do something. "I'm mad, I want revenge!"

[seaya]

Revenge for what might have been a good question, but Sea didn't really care one way or the other. Roman had his reasons, he was sure, and he didn't give much of a damn himself. Not as long as things were entertaining on his end and few things were as entertaining as a vengeful Roman. "Do you want to make someone cry?"

Maybe that would help.

[trustfiend]

"Always. It's been so tough since Victor lost his parents, he never has time for me. I'm always just out here, all alone, no one but you. And I love you but it hurts, you know?" They used to be so close but then everyone stole him away. He saw the way all of those dates would smirk and smile at him, he knew they knew that they were stealing his bff.

With a sigh, he leaned into Sea and nuzzled him. "Help me take my mind off it?"

[seaya]

"Of course, boss." Sea let Roman nuzzle him as he wanted, looking around to try and figure out what way he could entertain Roman that wouldn't spell any negative repercussions. He didn't care for his own sake, but he didn't want trouble for Roman. This Victor thing was hard enough on him. "The nerds are still there." He had seen them, just around the corner, waiting for Butch and the others to get bored and leave. "The ones that are friends with the Lucius kid."

[riddleboy]

"What, Gordon isn't enough of a gentleman to walk you home?" Edward was just suddenly walking next to Lee, hands in his pocket, pretending to be casual and as if he hadn't been waiting around for her to walk past this alley. His face was slightly bruised and swollen from Roman Sionis's fist, but what else was new? He couldn't be bothered to care that much.

He was just happy he had managed to meet up with a Lee unburdened of any stupid jocks. "What has a head and tail but no limbs or body?"

[nohelp]

"Ed? Where did you come from?" Lee smiled as she looked around, not sure how she'd missed him but she was glad to see him. "Jim and Harvey wanted to keep gaming but I was feeling like fresh air." She got a little tired of the arcade and just wanted to head back home, Jim did offer to take her but she didn't want to ruin his good time. Boys were just hard to take in long doses. They were... difficult.

Thinking over Ed's riddle, she frowned and then smiled, gesturing at him excitedly. "A coin, right?"

[riddleboy]

"Ding, ding, ding! 100 points to Lee Thompkins. How does it feel to be that smart and that charming? The real million dollar question." Edward laughed and then let the coins that he had in his pocket jingle against each other a little. "I have a few. Coins, I mean. Should be enough for that soft serve ice cream you love."

Hey, he had earned a treat today. And it was a treat to treat Lee.

[nohelp]

Smiling, Lee reached out and linked her arm with Ed's and pulled him in close. "Really? God, Ed. You're too good to me." Seriously, how was he such a good boy? She had a lot of trouble these days with boys - they all grew up, caught feelings and made her life quite difficult but Edward always kind of seemed the same. Sure, he hated Jim but Edward hated everyone. She didn't really think about it much.

"I missed you today." She always missed Edward in the arcade, he always won every game and then lectured her on which was rigged, how and where and what to do to overcome it. "I wish you'd come."

[riddleboy]

"Would that I could, but I was busy. Had to gossip about Lucius's dating life." In a manner of speaking, anyway. "He is probably still at the library with Victor Zsasz, by the way. I wonder what kind of books Victor reads. Strikes me as a comics type, honestly. He has that sense of whimsy."

It wasn't even an insult, just seemed accurate. "Apparently tomorrow Lucius will go to Victor's place after school. I guess you have to move fast in a seven day relationship."

[zsaszle]

Victor put his seatbelt on and then turned down the music after starting the car, knowing already that Lucius didn't like when things were loud. That was fine, not as if he needed the noise. He liked talking to Lucius anyway. "You can pick what we listen to."

He indicated the radio and then backed out of the parking spot. It was a different car than yesterday, mostly because he had decided for one that had a better safety rating. He did listen to Lucius. "Your friends okay? I think they got into a fight or something."

He had noticed that. Lucius was his boyfriend, he figured he should take interest in his friends.

[asyoulike]

"It seems I got them into a little trouble by accident. I drew attention to us and Roman Sionis ended up hassling them." Lucius had apologised and promised to make it up to them, though he wasn't entirely sure how. It just kind of sucked, he didn't like when his friends got hurt. He leaned forward and tuned the radio, looking for something to listen to.

"From what I gather, Roman is not overly bright and the word experiment had instant negative connotations."

Finally settling on some jazz, Lucius leaned back and turned, looking at Victor apologetically. "I hope I didn't cause you any trouble either. Or upset. I assure you, experiments aren't always sinister or bad."

[zsaszle]

"I know that." And he felt as if maybe he should defend Roman's intelligence, but it was a tough call. "Roman's just paranoid." There was that. Paranoid and very bad at coping with change or anything that felt bad to him. Usually Victor put some energy into things not being bad for Roman, but he had less of that drive currently.

"I'm not upset. Good luck with your experiment." Seemed like a good enough reason to do this. "Even after this, you can let me know if people are giving you trouble. By the way. Never liked bigots."

That was true enough too. His parents had never been conservative, so even before Victor got to choose who to hang out with, he had had acquaintances that were outside of what the Gotham elite felt the norm should be.

[asyoulike]

"I appreciate that. I am hoping that I will avoid the worst of it but I have already prepared myself for whatever will come next. I am certain that my hypothesis is correct so this is just something I will have to accept about life." That he was gay and some people may not like it but that was fine, not everyone would hate him for it and he just had to pick the people he wanted to surround himself with and remove those who he didn't like.

At least he picked the right person to test with. Victor was open, pleasant and didn't seem to want more than Lucius wanted to give. He also didn't seem repulsed by what he was giving either.

"Perhaps you could ask Roman to go easy on Edward and Oswald. They are quite terrified of him."

[zsaszle]

"People are less weird about it after high school, I think." Seemed to be the case, anyway. "I got some people I know who do just fine without fitting in."

Victor supposed he did too, in a way. He also wasn't straight either, but he supposed the way he was and how much money he had kind of kept people from questioning that too much too. It was strange how people worked. Speaking of... "I can try talking to Roman, but he's difficult. Might just bother them more."

He wasn't easily controlled. Hard to predict and endlessly awkward. "Might tell Sea. Pay him off."