Chapter Text
Wylan Van Eck loved school. Which was strange, you know, how many sophomores really enjoy learning (not a lot). But for Wylan, Ketterdam High was a way to escape. In those hallways, his father wasn't there to taunt him about his dyslexia, which he technically didn't have because the elder Van Eck refused to get him tested. At school, there were friends (well, one friend: Kuwei), new things to learn, and no one knew about his affliction, as his father called it. Wylan had spent enough of his life dealing with his dyslexia to understand how to get around it. Audiobooks, speech to text, and doodles helped him take notes and interact with many forms of technology. Kuwei helped him with anything that those couldn't cover. Despite his father's doubts, he was doing perfectly fine out in the world.
Wylan had signed up to be a tutor mainly as an excuse to stay out of the house longer. He was expecting to help some random kid with chemistry and maybe even convince his father that he was not a failure. What he had not expected was how unreasonably attractive his assigned student would be. Jesper Fahey was everything that Wylan was not. He was handsome, tall, and confidant, and he flirted with Wylan like it was easy. Of course, Wylan didn't flirt back. He instead turned into a mumbling, blushing mess and utterly embarrassed himself. Which, you know, was pretty much par for the course at this point.
Thankfully, Jesper eventually stopped flirting, and they got on to the tutoring. It went... surprisingly well. They were working on stoichiometry in the class right now, making it easy to work around his dyslexia. He just got Jesper to read the question aloud and said it was one of the steps.
Somehow, Wylan got through the session and scheduled the next one for Friday; it was Monday, FYI. Sadly, while he was now free of the distraction that was Jesper, his excuse for being away had now left, and he was expected home.
"WYLAN VAN ECK," a loud voice proclaimed as Wylan entered the Van Eck mansion, "come to my office this instant."
Wylan knew that the voice belonged to none other than his father, the esteemed shipping magnate Jan Van Eck. His father's wealth had kept Wylan comfortable enough during his 16 years of life, well physically comfortable at least. His emotional state was a whole different thing.
He reluctantly made his way down the hall to his father's office, dragging his feet. He knew that this was inevitable (though what "this" was, he wasn't quite sure), his father always got his way in the end. He waved at his pregnant stepmom. Alys was far too young for his father, but money was a good motivator, and they were both rich. Finally, he stood in front of the intimidating doorway, and after pausing for a second, he made his way inside.
Many things could be used to describe Van Eck's office, but restraint was definitely not one of them. Every fixture, piece of furniture, and even the knick-knacks on the desk were carefully curated to display excessive wealth. However, Wylan could only spend so much time looking
around before he would be forced to face the large room's sole occupant.
"Father," he said, his voice less confidant than he would have liked, "you called."
"Ah Wylan," Jan replied, his words, though relatively unassuming, struck fear into his son's heart, "I have received word from your teachers." It was far too much to hope for that this would be a positive discussion. The elder Van Eck never bothered to speak to Wylan about anything good. "Your reports show a severe lack of progress in your English studies," Wylan flinched. He hadn't known it would be this bad. "Son, I am disappointed in you. You assured me that that school would be beneficial to you and maybe even help with your affliction." Jan had perfected the art of cutting his son down. he knew just how to ruin any happiness he might be feeling. "Please go to your room and spend the night studying. I will have food sent up."
He never raised his voice, and his words were passive-aggressive at worst, but they cut Wylan to the core. He tried to hold back the water brimming in his eyes, at least until he got to his room, but he barely managed to get out of the office before bursting into tears.
He sprinted down the twisting passageways to his wing of the house, shoving open his door and collapsing on the bed. He then pulled out some headphones, planning on listening to music before noticing his unread messages.
Most were from Kuwei, asking how his day was going and the like, but a few messages from an unknown number caught his attention.
Jesper Fahey private messaged Wylan Van Eck
Jesper Fahey changed their name to "young padawan"
young padawan changed Wylan Van Eck's name to "jedi master"
young padawan: hey, wylan right?
young padawan: its jesper
young padawan: like from tutoring
young padawan: wylan?
jedi master: hi jesper
jedi master: what is up with these names
jedi master changed their name to "wy"
young padawan: aw come on
young padawan: the names were part of the charm
young padawan: ugh now i look weird
young padawan: fine
young padawan changed their name to "jes"
jes: happy now?
wy: i mean i don't care what you do
wy: but i guess?
wy: anyways
wy: why did you chat me?
jes: you know, you just missed a perfectly good pun opportunity
jes: WY did you chat me
jes: get it
wy: yes, i just
wy: ugh
jes: but anyway
jes: i though you were cute and wanted to see if you'd like to go on a date sometime?
(read by wy)
jes: wylan?
Chemistry idiots
wylan: kuwei
wylan: help
wylan: *message was not understood*
wylan: *message was not understood*
wylan: sorry freaking out
wylan: words to jumbled for the phone to understand
wylan: KUWEI
kuwei: what is it wy
wylan: the kid i'm tutoring just asked me out
wylan: HELP
kuwei: who?
wylan: i don't know his name is jesper i think
kuwei: JESPER FAHEY
kuwei: no way
kuwei: i hooked up with him once
kuwei: but then again i think at least half the student body has at some point
kuwei: no way he's good enough for my wylan
kuwei: im chatting him now
wylan: kuwei, no...
jes, wy
jes: hey wylan,
jes: why did some kid just yell at me via text
wy: oh my god
wy: im going to kill kuwei
wy: sorry
wy: he's a bit overprotective
jes: no its fine
jes: just making sure he wasn't some rando
jes: so
jes: you never answered my question
jes: will you go out with me?
wy: oh
wy: um
jes: well this isn't promising
wy: i mean, i would
wy: but my father
jes: the rich one?
wy: well duh
wy: see, he doesn't know that i'm gay
wy: and he already is disappointed in me enough as it is
wy: but i totally would
wy: i just can't
jes: oh
wy: sorry
jes: no i get it
jes: hey!
jes: do you know my friends?
wy: you mean kaz?
wy: he scares me a bit
jes: you and me both
jes: but anyway
jes: i'm adding you to our gc
wy: okay... i guess
THE CROWS!!!!
the hot one added Wylan Van Eck to the chat
the hot one changed "Wylan Van Eck" 's name to "van sunshine"
criminal: Jesper why?
the hot one: hey
the hot one: i like him
criminal: We know
the hot one: fine, vote?
the hot one: all in favor of letting wylan here stay say ay, all opposed say nay
criminal: Nay
spidey girl: ay
waffles4life: ay
wolf boy: ay
the hot one: ay
van sunshine: nay
criminal: See
criminal: Even he doesn't want him to be here
spidey girl: the grammar there is too convoluted for me to even begin to understand
spidey girl: but wylan, you are now an official crow
waffles4life: the perks include a seat at our lunch table and a free novelty t-shirt
criminal: NINA
criminal: i thought i vetoed the shirts
waffles4life: we overruled you
the hot one: anyway
the hot one: welcome to the crows
wolf boy: O.K., I am back.
wolf boy: What did I miss?
waffles4life: matthias...
van sunshine: hi!
van sunshine: you're matthias right
wolf boy: Who is the new kid?
wolf boy: I like him, he is very polite.
spidey girl: sorry about him
spidey girl: he never quite figured out texting
van sunshine: its okay
van sunshine: from the look of it, neither has kaz
waffles4life: i think he'll fit in fine