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"Guys, I think there's something going on between Fez and Buddy," Hyde said.
"Yeah. Friendship," Eric said.
"No, I think it's more than that. They act kind of… couple-y. I think they got together and didn't tell any of us," Hyde said.
"I think you're a crazy conspiracy nut," Jackie said from her seat on Kelso's lap.
"I second that," Donna said.
Hyde gave her a look. "No, for once this isn't a conspiracy. I really think they like each other."
"I don't buy it. If Fez liked guys, he'd be in love with me," Kelso said. "I mean, look at me." He gestured to his face and smiled. Jackie rolled her eyes, but smiled at him.
"Shut up. They have to be together," Hyde said, just as Fez and Buddy entered the basement.
"Who's together?" Buddy asked.
"Donna and Forman. They made it official yesterday," Hyde said quickly.
"Oh, congrats, guys," Buddy said. He sat on the lawn chair. Fez pulled the foot stool over to the chair and sat next to him.
Hyde sat in his chair, eyeing them suspiciously but also discreetly. He was determined to figure out what was going on between them. They kept giving each other flirty looks and they always sat next to each other.
He realized that wasn't grounds to assume they were dating, but still… He had a feeling.
And he was determined to figure it out.
~
Fez sat in the passenger's seat of Buddy's car. He was learning to appreciate just how cool the Trans Am was. He'd looked through quite a few car magazines with Buddy in the past few weeks, with Buddy teaching him about car engines and things like alternators.
Fez really enjoyed listening to his boyfriend talk so passionately about cars.
"So, um…" Buddy bit his lip nervously as he pulled into the driveway of Fez's host parents' house. "I know it's a while away, but do you wanna go to prom with me?"
Fez smiled. "Yes, of course! We should get matching ties."
Buddy smiled sweetly at him. "We can talk about that closer to the actual night."
"Okay." Fez kissed him swiftly on the lips, then got out of the car. He leaned down to say, "See you tomorrow!"
"See you tomorrow." Buddy waited until Fez was inside, then drove away.
They hadn't announced their relationship to their friends, but they were pretty sure their friends realized it without their announcement. Why else did they think Buddy kept coming to the basement?
They hadn't made their relationship public to the school either, and they had no plans to. It was a lot safer to keep it between them and the basement.
They would be going to prom together, but the school would think it was as friends. They'd most likely end up tagging along with Rhonda and Melissa. They were dating as well, and the four of them often ended up going out together to cover each other.
Fez enjoyed hanging out with them, but he wished they could be couples on their own. Well, at least they had a safe place in the basement.
~
"I'm not crazy!" Hyde said. "They are together, I swear!"
"You're literally insane!" Jackie said. "Just because Buddy's gay and Fez is… well, Fez doesn't mean they are dating."
"I'm with Jackie on this," Forman said. "Oh, God, I just agreed with Jackie. Look what you've done, Hyde!"
"I didn't do anything," Hyde said. "Donna? Kelso? Opinions?"
"I'm with Jackie," Kelso said.
"Oh, see what you did, Hyde?" Jackie asked angrily. She waved her hand at Kelso. "You made stupid Michael agree with me! We can't be on the same side now that we're broken up, so I'm switching my opinion."
"Damn, Jackie, I was just trying to be nice!" Kelso said.
Hyde chose to ignore them and focused on Donna. "What do you think? 'Cause I'm pretty sure we're at a tie right now."
Donna chewed her lip and looked between the four of them. "Well… I think we should investigate. You have no evidence that they're together, but we also don't have evidence that they're not. So I think we should figure it out."
"Oh, we could spy on them!" Forman suggested. "I get to break out my spy gear."
Donna giggled. "You have spy gear?"
"I do. And I look really hot in it." Forman waggled his eyebrows, making Donna laugh.
She shook her head. "Well, let's split into teams. Since Hyde and Jackie are on the same side, they can be team one. Eric, Kelso and I will be team two. We can spy on them at different times."
"As long as I don't have to be around Michael," Jackie said, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "I can do so much better. I mean, look at me. I am way out of Michael's league."
"Donna, why'd you have to put me on the same team as her?" Hyde asked.
She smiled and shrugged. "She's on your side."
~
Buddy smiled at Fez as he talked about the school production. He had joined the school's very small drama club, with Buddy's encouragement and offer to protect him from any football players who might not be as encouraging. This year, the drama club was showing Godspell.
Currently, the two of them were sitting at the Hub. They were on a date, but no one knew that officially.
Buddy was paying attention to Fez. Well, he was trying. Earlier, he'd noticed Jackie and Hyde across the Hub at a table. They had an order of fries between them. It looked a lot like they were on a date.
"But Jacob wants to use the set pieces for-"
"Hey, Fezzie?"
Fez stopped his story. "Whatever you have to say better be worth interrupting me."
"Yeah, it's just… Jackie and Hyde are sitting at a table together and they look pretty... cozy." Buddy subtly pointed over at the table where Jackie was leaning close to Hyde and chatting.
"They do. I wonder what they are doing. We should go ask." Fez stood up before Buddy could stop him. He followed his boyfriend over to their friends' table.
Jackie was in the middle of some kind of rant. "I am so glad that I'm not with Michael anymore. He was way too tall, we looked so silly together. And he's not nearly popular enough to be seen with me."
Hyde was glaring at the basket of french fries on the table between them. He perked up when Fez and Buddy approached. "Hey, guys."
"Hello," Fez said. "What are you doing?"
"Trying to figure out how I can make Jackie stop talking without getting arrested," Hyde said with a thin smile.
Jackie gasped indignantly. "Hyde! Oh, this is why I never hang out with you!" She smacked his arm with her purse and stormed out. He scowled at her back until she was gone.
"So, what are you guys doing here?" Hyde asked, sipping the last of his pop loudly.
Buddy eyed the group of football players at the register, which was within hearing distance. "Just hanging out."
Hyde nodded. "Cool. Well, Jackie ditched me, so I'm gonna head out." He grabbed Jackie's abandoned pop and took a sip. "See you around."
"See you!" Fez said back, but Hyde was already out the door.
~
Buddy and Fez sat together at one of the picnic tables in the park. They were doing a project together, for their history class. “You think any of the presidents were gay?” Fez asked.
“Probably James Buchanan,” Buddy said. They both laughed. Buddy adored the sound of Fez’s laughter. “You’re so cute."
Fez smiled. “Thank you. You’re cute too.”
Then, Buddy heard a voice. It was far away, but within hearing range. “Kelso, you fricking moron!”
“That sounds like Eric,” Buddy said.
Fez looked around. “There he is! In the bushes.” Fez pointed to the bushes at the edge of the forest. Eric was, indeed, in the bushes, hitting something that wasn’t visible. Buddy guessed it was Kelso.
“God, you’re so bad at this,” another voice said. That one sounded like Donna.
“Let’s go check it out,” Buddy said. He took Fez’s hand and they walked over to the bushes. “Hey, Eric. Why are you in the bushes?”
“Buddy! Hi! I’m just-” He looked around quickly. “I wanted to see the park.”
“What? No, that’s not why we’re here!” Kelso said as he scrambled out of the bushes.
Eric smacked him on the arm. “Yes, it is!”
“Now I’m confused,” Kelso said. “Cause Hyde said-”
“Forget what Hyde said,” Donna said as she stood up from the bushes. “We’re here to see the park. And there’s the park, so let’s leave.”
“Help me up?” Eric asked Donna. She rolled her eyes and tugged him out of the bushes.
“We’ll see you guys tomorrow,” Donna said. She and Eric walked off, hands intertwined like Buddy and Fez’s were.
Kelso scratched his head. “I don’t get this. You know what? I don’t have to follow Hyde’s stupid plan.” He turned to Buddy and Fez. “Are you gay?”
Buddy stared at Kelso for a moment. “…Yes. Kelso, you know that already.”
“Never assume what he knows and doesn’t know,” Fez said.
Kelso nodded. “Well, I got what I needed. See you!” Kelso ran after Eric and Donna, leaving Buddy confused.
~
“I think they’re dating,” Donna said.
At the exact same time, Hyde said, “I don’t think they’re dating.”
They both paused and looked at each other. “Well, what changed?” Donna asked.
“I didn’t find any evidence that they were together when Jackie and I spied on them,” Hyde said.
“Well, I did.” Donna grinned. “They were holding hands in the park.”
“Hand holding could mean anything,” Jackie said. “There are two girls on the cheer team that hold hands all the time.”
Donna and Hyde exchanged a look. Those girls were probably also together. Hyde ignored Jackie. “This is progress. If neither of them have dates for prom, that’ll confirm it.”
Jackie pouted. “I don’t have a date for prom. Stupid Michael didn’t ask me.”
“I thought you didn’t want him to,” Hyde said.
“I obviously still love him, Hyde! Haven’t you been listening to me while we’re spying together? It’s no wonder you’ve never had a girlfriend, you’re a terrible listener.” Jackie crossed her arms and leaned back on the couch.
The door to the basement opened and Kelso came in. “Guys, I figured it out! Buddy is gay.”
They all stared at him. “We already know that, moron!” Hyde said.
“Well then what was this whole thing about?” Kelso huffed and shook his head. “I solved the mystery that you apparently already knew the answer to and now you’re mad at me?”
“What do you see in him?” Hyde asked Jackie.
She glared at him. “Nothing! You don’t know what you’re talking about!” She grabbed her purse and stormed out of the basement, pushing Kelso out of the way as she left.
Hyde shook his head. “Why the hell did you date her?”
Kelso shrugged and sat down. “She’s hot and I love her.”
Donna sighed. “Guys, back to the issue at hand. If Fez and Buddy don’t have dates to the prom, they’re definitely together.”
“Well that makes no sense. If they’re together, they’d go to the prom together,” Kelso said. “You guys are dumb sometimes.”
~
“So, what’s everyone’s plans for prom?” Eric asked, sitting with his arm around Donna on the couch.
“I’m going with Pam Macy,” Kelso said.
“I don’t wanna talk about it,” Hyde said, his voice a little strangled.
“Aw, Hyde are you sad because no one will go out with you?” Fez asked.
“No. I don’t wanna talk about it.” He crossed his arms and looked at the television, ending any further questions.
“Eric and I are going together,” Donna said. "What about you, Buddy?"
Buddy glanced at Fez. "I'm going with my boyfriend, obviously."
"You have a boyfriend?" Kelso asked. "Who?"
Buddy raised an eyebrow at him. "Fez."
Fez tilted his head to the side a bit. "Did you all… not know? We thought you knew."
They all glanced at each other. "Well…" Eric started.
Hyde cut him off, "Screw it. No, we didn't know. We didn't even know Fez liked guys."
"Oh! Well, I am bisexual. And I like Buddy very much. And we are going to prom together," Fez said with a smile.
"Have fun," Hyde said, turning away again.
Buddy decided to question Hyde further. He was curious. “Are you even going to prom, Hyde?”
“Yes. I wasn’t going to, but the chick I’m going with made me. That’s all you get to know.” Hyde stood up and left the basement.
Buddy glanced at Fez. “We should probably head out to get ready, then.”
“Yes! I can’t wait for you to see my suit.” Fez smiled. He was adorable.
~
“Are you ready?” Fez called to Buddy from the ensuite bathroom in Buddy’s room.
“Yep!” Buddy replied, already dressed in his suit and sitting on his bed.
Fez came out in a navy blue suit with a maroon tie that matched Buddy’s. The only difference between them was that Buddy’s suit was black.
“You look very handsome,” Buddy said, standing up. He kissed Fez softly. “Tonight’s gonna be really fun.”
“It is. I can’t wait to dance with you.” Fez kissed him again. “And make out after.”
Buddy giggled. “Let’s go dance, then.”
~
Buddy and Fez sat at a table with Rhonda and Melissa. They’d danced for a little while as a group earlier, then left the dance floor when a slow song came on. Buddy was holding Fez’s hand under the table.
Their other friends were slow dancing. Eric and Donna looked very cozy together. Kelso and Pam Macy were dancing, but Kelso kept looking at Jackie. Jackie was dancing with Hyde.
"Guys, I kind of feel like Jackie and Hyde might be together," Buddy said.
"No way," Rhonda said. "Hyde hates Jackie."
"Then why is he dancing with her?" Melissa asked.
"And why were they hanging out together at the Hub and sharing fries?" Buddy asked.
"Just ask them. You don't need to make a big thing out of it," Fez said with a shrug. He got up and walked over to them, Buddy following close behind. "Are you two dating?"
Hyde froze. "Oh, God, no. No, no, no. This is not a date."
Jackie shrieked indignantly. "Oh, you would be lucky to even get a date with me! You may clean up well, but you are so not boyfriend material."
"Just go get back together with Kelso then!" Hyde dropped her hands and walked over to Pam Macy, who was now getting punch at the snack bar. Jackie made a face at him and walked over to Kelso.
Fez glanced around. "Well, since they're gone… Want to dance?"
"Fezzie…" Buddy nodded at all their classmates. Then he took Fez's hand and led him out of the gymnasium. They stopped outside the school, out of sight of the teachers taking smoke breaks.
He pouted. "This whole thing is very stupid. In my country, it's perfectly fine for men to date men."
"We'll just have to visit one day, then," Buddy said.
"We will. It is beautiful there."
"I'm sure it is, if you came from there."
Fez smiled. "I really like you."
"I really like you too." Buddy kissed him sweetly, lacing their fingers together. Even if they couldn't have the most public relationship, Buddy was really happy to be with Fez.