"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!"
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."
"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."
"Well, Lucius. You might be right where the emotional damage is concerned, the potential for that would be subverted by the measures you've taken. But surely you must realise that these imbeciles we go to school with will be ready to dole out a lot of physical punishment now that they have more material to support their assumption that all three of us are homosexual."
Edward thought about all of this for a moment, then remembered that Lucius, as his friend, also deserved some reassurance. "Obviously you realise that to me it doesn't matter one bit what your sexual orientation is. I'm an intellectual."
"I know but it was a chance I needed to take. I will experiment and get back to you with the results of--"
"Oh shut up, I don't care. They're going to kill us!" Oswald whined as he pouted, already having enough targets on his back without giving people more excuses to come after him. He was in for a rough time.
"It will be okay." Lucius didn't know that but he promised it. "Where shall we eat lunch? Will Lee join us today?"
"We can eat where we always eat. I guess." Not as if they had that many options. Edward still felt a little bit at a loss. "Do you find him attractive? Victor Zsasz. One would think that'd be important for your experiment."
He sat down at their usual table, opening his backpack to get out the stale half of a sandwich he had. Better than nothing and he couldn't afford to buy lunch. "Relax, Oswald. We can't change it." Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. So far, no one even knew! No one had to know, right?
"VICTOR ZSASZ! DATE ME!" Barbara Kean shouted it loudly before pretty much glomping him. Hey, she needed some new shoes. "I'm the first, right? No one's seen you today yet!" She smirked at some other girls, who were already looking disappointed.
Victor's reply was too quiet to be heard, but Edward did see how he shrugged her off and he also saw the fury on her face.
"WHAT?! Who? Who the fuck asked you out? You weren't in front of the school today!"
"Maybe she will scratch your eyes out, Lucius." Her nails did look capable of it. Edward was just saying.
"Oh boy." Lucius looked at the scene ahead and felt very nervous. Now all of the attention would be on him. It was starting to get a lot of people watching as everyone was trying to understand who Victor was dating and God, his heart was racing.
"If we hide under the table, we'll be out of the line of sight." Oswald whispered as he prepared to do just that. He was the smallest of his gang so he was sure he could easily hide out of sight.
"Who are you dating?" Roman loudly asked from his own table, looking at Victor with curiosity and a playful smile. "Tell us! Tell us! Tell us!"
"I don't owe anyone a PSA." Victor rolled his eyes and then looked around the cafeteria, trying to spot Lucius. It wasn't that hard, the boy stood out, with his dark skin and very striking features. He headed over to him, deciding to simply ignore how much attention there was on him. Once he reached the table, he talked to Lucius, unaware of the incredulous look Lucius' friend with the glasses was giving him. "Hey. Do you want me to buy you lunch?"
Luckily this whole thing was so out there that just about no one even made the connection.
"That would be nice. I forgot to bring one." He had been in such a rush, he had nothing and he doubted his friends had enough to share. Not that it would stop them. "Shall I come with you?"
Oswald stared up at Victor fucking Zsasz with awe and fear, sliding closer to Ed in the hopes that he'd... well, not protect him but maybe he could hide behind him so Edward got punched instead.
"Why are you talking to the nerd squad?" Roman yelled out, earning a few laughs from the kids around them. Well, it was funny - Victor standing near those losers.
"You got any preference?" Victor was ready to go and get him whatever, it wasn't as if money was an object for him. He ignored Roman, figuring that was the best way to get him to disengage, because then he could pretend he didn't care about being ignored. Pretty simple, dealing with Roman. At least Victor thought so.
Edward shifted close to Oswald as well, looking at Victor up close. He had never seen him this close. Definitely muscular, very strong, even if he was slender. He could probably crush them like a grape if he wanted to. Also, his clothes were expensive. Damn. "We're dead." Just so Oswald knew how optimistic he was feeling.
"I have a lot. You know, I will come with you. Will you two be okay alone?" Lucius asked as he got up, wanting to with Victor to pick out food and teach him what he ate and what he didn't so this week would be easier for him. Oswald nodded and gestured at him to leave, looking honestly terrified until finally, Lucius and Victor left.
"We are dead. We are so dead. Did you see that look?! And everyone is paying attention now! Fucking Roman Sionis knows we're involved." Oswald faceplanted the table. "This is the worst day."
"Oh my God!" Suddenly, out of nowhere, Lee dropped down opposite both boys with wide, fascinated eyes. "Why is Lucius with Victor Zsasz?! What did I miss?!"
While Victor walked with Lucius, to his credit seeming very attentive and polite, if strange, a perfect gentleman by all appearances, Edward sat there, still shaking a little. This was a lot more stress than expected. "Sionis definitely knows."
And that could only spell something awful. It was never good to have Roman Sionis's attention. Edward sighed when Lee sat down, pushing his glasses up and shrugging. Best just explain. "Lucius asked him out this morning, so now they are dating. The world will figure it out later. Lucius is doing this to test a hypothesis relating to his sexuality, although Oswald and I are suspecting he is just testing how bad a beating we can take."
"Or, alternative theory and hear me out, you guys get protection for a week and maybe if he and Victor make friends, protection for a while." Lee shrugged and then looked over, watching Victor and Lucius curiously. "Victor always seems nice, I know that Mario always tells me he's not so bad so maybe this won't be the worst."
"Mario is a Falcone, of course Victor is nice to him!" Oswald dismissed as he put his head in his hands. "This is the worst thing that could happen. We're going to get our asses kicked more than ever. I don't want to a beating from Roman's weird lapdog."
"Sea? Oh yeah, no, he's creepy." Lee agreed, not defending that one.
"Sea is Narrows too. Deep Narrows. Only reason someone like Roman Sionis would be close to anyone from that part of town is if they are willing to kill for him." And it was creepy. He was creepy. This was unsettling. "No offense, Lee, but I fear Oswald has a point. Mario Falcone has a lot of privilege, it skews his perspective. Who'd not be nice to him?"
Someone who wanted to die, he imagined. "Anyway, it's not about how nice Victor is. It's about how not nice everyone else is going to be."
Because Victor did seem nice enough. Listening to Lucius's extensive list of food preferences, from the looks of it. Edward broke off a piece of his sandwich to inspect it and make sure it wasn't mouldy.
"You two are so negative." Rolling her eyes, Lee held out a candy bar for both of them, letting them have some before she started to eat her own, getting to her feet because as fun as these two were, she had places to be. "I'm going to go hit up Jim and see what he's doing afterschool. We might go to the arcade? You guys in?"
"God, no." Oswald shook his head as he ate his tuna sandwich, trying not to watch Victor and Lucius. "We're trying to avoid getting beaten up, not asking for him."
"...good point." Because Edward almost said yes. He wanted to go to an arcade with Lee, but he knew things had changed, a lot. It wasn't as it used to be. And whether he'd get beaten up at the arcade physically or not - likely yes - he'd definitely get an emotional beating just seeing Lee and Jim together.
"He's not even good at any of the games," he muttered, watching her walk away. With a shake of his head, he glanced at Lucius and Victor as they seemed to be headed back, Lucius carrying Victor's tray. "They are not being subtle. People will know."
Lucius sat down and then looked at Victor, not sure if he was going to sit with him or not. He knew sitting at their table was usually social suicide but apparently, Victor wasn't very concerned. "Do you wish to sit beside me? These are my friends, by the way. Edward Nygma and Oswald Cobblepot. They are a bit scared."
Lucius smiled at Victor, awkward and unsure but trying his best. "Do you have many friends, Victor?"
Victor gave a nod and sat down next to Lucius, definitely unconcerned, just as how he didn't seem to register any attention that was on him. "Hi. Hi." He greeted both of Lucius's friends with a little wave. "Don't be scared."
There, nice manners. Didn't do much to reassure Edward. Although at least, yes, Victor didn't appear to mean them any harm. Right now. People could be tricky sometimes and attack without warning.
"I have a lot of people calling themselves my friends. I guess I got some." Victor shrugged. "How do you know someone's real?"
"I'm not sure. You tend to be able to look at someone's eyes and make deductions. I'm not so good at it myself but my friend, Oswald, he is very good at it." Lucius gestured at Oswald, who looked like he was going to drop dead right then and there, he was pale and sweaty and ready to run. "If you're like me and you struggle, I think the best thing to do is to consider if that person would do the same things for you as you would do for them."
That was how Oswald had taught him when they were younger. Oswald didn't always practise what he preached but he told him that friendship was a give and take. And it had to be equal.
"I only have three friends." Lucius looked at Victor and frowned. "I think less is more."
"Huh." Victor thought it over for a while, considering some people he knew and in the end, he simply lifted his shoulders a little. "I don't have any friends." Simple maths there. "You're lucky, Lucius. Must be because you're so smart. You got things figured out."
Edward watched them both with a frown, while he tried to find the not gross parts of his sandwich. This was so weird. Seemed as if Victor really tried when he dated. Speaking of...
"I can drive you to the library after school. If you wanna. I can hang around. We can grab food after."
"I would very much like that. I won't be long in the library, I just want to get some books out." He always went after school to get himself some books to read. He had that luxury, he knew Edward struggled more with it - he had a hard time keeping books safe in his home. And Oswald... he didn't think that he could read. "I hope you won't be too bored."
He knew some people would be but Victor had a surprising amount of patience. Perhaps it was because he was basically acting, playing as the ideal boyfriend, so nothing really mattered.
"Nah. I don't really get bored." Victor shrugged and Edward tried to mouth a 'what the fuck' to Oswald, because this whole situation was bizarre. Also, strangely felt like a personal attack, because how did Lucius luck into the ideal partner, even if just for a week, when Edward was forever alone?
"What kinda books do you read? Maybe you can recommend something." Victor didn't read often, but it wasn't as if he was against it.
"I'm not sure. What sort of things do you like? Perhaps you could come into the library with me. We have to be quiet but the further back you go, the less it matters what volume you speak at." And hence, much easier to discuss what books were the best. "I like to read non-fiction but I've recently found myself interested in fiction, specifically crime and science fiction. I also read comics."
Oswald mouthed 'this is creepy' to Ed, his eyes wide with horrified fascination as Lucius just casually and normally spoke to Victor. It was too weird.
"I read some books on art. My mother used to collect them." Seemed right to read them, hadn't seemed right to just toss them out. "And... philosophy, I guess? And weird stuff. Spiritual." His parents had had eclectic tastes. "I guess I read anything. That's just the stuff in my library."
"In your-- Oh. Of course. Sorry." Of course Victor Zsasz had a library. He knew the Zsasz family was rich, Edward wasn't sure why he was surprised. Damn, they had to have a lot of money. Maybe Lucius could get money off of him.
"I bet you have a lovely library. I would love to have a library one day." He wasn't sure if he could achieve it but it was his main want in life. A personal at home library that Edward would be welcomed to use. "Edward and I have always gone to the library together, we read a lot. Oswald is less interested, he prefers more... loud hobbies."
"Oh my God, I listened to music once! Stop going to extremes." Oswald huffed. He listened to punk music once on the radio in his bedroom and suddenly, Lucius thought he was a party boy.
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"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!"
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After all, he wanted to test but he didn't want to hurt someone. "I want to be careful."
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Edward thought about all of this for a moment, then remembered that Lucius, as his friend, also deserved some reassurance. "Obviously you realise that to me it doesn't matter one bit what your sexual orientation is. I'm an intellectual."
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"Oh shut up, I don't care. They're going to kill us!" Oswald whined as he pouted, already having enough targets on his back without giving people more excuses to come after him. He was in for a rough time.
"It will be okay." Lucius didn't know that but he promised it. "Where shall we eat lunch? Will Lee join us today?"
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He sat down at their usual table, opening his backpack to get out the stale half of a sandwich he had. Better than nothing and he couldn't afford to buy lunch. "Relax, Oswald. We can't change it." Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. So far, no one even knew! No one had to know, right?
"VICTOR ZSASZ! DATE ME!" Barbara Kean shouted it loudly before pretty much glomping him. Hey, she needed some new shoes. "I'm the first, right? No one's seen you today yet!" She smirked at some other girls, who were already looking disappointed.
Victor's reply was too quiet to be heard, but Edward did see how he shrugged her off and he also saw the fury on her face.
"WHAT?! Who? Who the fuck asked you out? You weren't in front of the school today!"
"Maybe she will scratch your eyes out, Lucius." Her nails did look capable of it. Edward was just saying.
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"If we hide under the table, we'll be out of the line of sight." Oswald whispered as he prepared to do just that. He was the smallest of his gang so he was sure he could easily hide out of sight.
"Who are you dating?" Roman loudly asked from his own table, looking at Victor with curiosity and a playful smile. "Tell us! Tell us! Tell us!"
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Luckily this whole thing was so out there that just about no one even made the connection.
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Oswald stared up at Victor fucking Zsasz with awe and fear, sliding closer to Ed in the hopes that he'd... well, not protect him but maybe he could hide behind him so Edward got punched instead.
"Why are you talking to the nerd squad?" Roman yelled out, earning a few laughs from the kids around them. Well, it was funny - Victor standing near those losers.
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Edward shifted close to Oswald as well, looking at Victor up close. He had never seen him this close. Definitely muscular, very strong, even if he was slender. He could probably crush them like a grape if he wanted to. Also, his clothes were expensive. Damn. "We're dead." Just so Oswald knew how optimistic he was feeling.
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"We are dead. We are so dead. Did you see that look?! And everyone is paying attention now! Fucking Roman Sionis knows we're involved." Oswald faceplanted the table. "This is the worst day."
"Oh my God!" Suddenly, out of nowhere, Lee dropped down opposite both boys with wide, fascinated eyes. "Why is Lucius with Victor Zsasz?! What did I miss?!"
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And that could only spell something awful. It was never good to have Roman Sionis's attention. Edward sighed when Lee sat down, pushing his glasses up and shrugging. Best just explain. "Lucius asked him out this morning, so now they are dating. The world will figure it out later. Lucius is doing this to test a hypothesis relating to his sexuality, although Oswald and I are suspecting he is just testing how bad a beating we can take."
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"Mario is a Falcone, of course Victor is nice to him!" Oswald dismissed as he put his head in his hands. "This is the worst thing that could happen. We're going to get our asses kicked more than ever. I don't want to a beating from Roman's weird lapdog."
"Sea? Oh yeah, no, he's creepy." Lee agreed, not defending that one.
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Someone who wanted to die, he imagined. "Anyway, it's not about how nice Victor is. It's about how not nice everyone else is going to be."
Because Victor did seem nice enough. Listening to Lucius's extensive list of food preferences, from the looks of it. Edward broke off a piece of his sandwich to inspect it and make sure it wasn't mouldy.
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"God, no." Oswald shook his head as he ate his tuna sandwich, trying not to watch Victor and Lucius. "We're trying to avoid getting beaten up, not asking for him."
"Suit yourself."
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"He's not even good at any of the games," he muttered, watching her walk away. With a shake of his head, he glanced at Lucius and Victor as they seemed to be headed back, Lucius carrying Victor's tray. "They are not being subtle. People will know."
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Lucius sat down and then looked at Victor, not sure if he was going to sit with him or not. He knew sitting at their table was usually social suicide but apparently, Victor wasn't very concerned. "Do you wish to sit beside me? These are my friends, by the way. Edward Nygma and Oswald Cobblepot. They are a bit scared."
Lucius smiled at Victor, awkward and unsure but trying his best. "Do you have many friends, Victor?"
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There, nice manners. Didn't do much to reassure Edward. Although at least, yes, Victor didn't appear to mean them any harm. Right now. People could be tricky sometimes and attack without warning.
"I have a lot of people calling themselves my friends. I guess I got some." Victor shrugged. "How do you know someone's real?"
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That was how Oswald had taught him when they were younger. Oswald didn't always practise what he preached but he told him that friendship was a give and take. And it had to be equal.
"I only have three friends." Lucius looked at Victor and frowned. "I think less is more."
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Edward watched them both with a frown, while he tried to find the not gross parts of his sandwich. This was so weird. Seemed as if Victor really tried when he dated. Speaking of...
"I can drive you to the library after school. If you wanna. I can hang around. We can grab food after."
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He knew some people would be but Victor had a surprising amount of patience. Perhaps it was because he was basically acting, playing as the ideal boyfriend, so nothing really mattered.
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"What kinda books do you read? Maybe you can recommend something." Victor didn't read often, but it wasn't as if he was against it.
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Oswald mouthed 'this is creepy' to Ed, his eyes wide with horrified fascination as Lucius just casually and normally spoke to Victor. It was too weird.
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"In your-- Oh. Of course. Sorry." Of course Victor Zsasz had a library. He knew the Zsasz family was rich, Edward wasn't sure why he was surprised. Damn, they had to have a lot of money. Maybe Lucius could get money off of him.
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"Oh my God, I listened to music once! Stop going to extremes." Oswald huffed. He listened to punk music once on the radio in his bedroom and suddenly, Lucius thought he was a party boy.
"I don't like loud music."
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