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After the Human Appreciation Society incident, Mattholomule and Gus were never anything close to friends. The two would bicker and fight so often that the detention pit became a routine. At the very least once a week the two would fight about whatever the days problem was, Mattholomule would attempt to hit Gus, the two would get into some wimpy slap war and start to draw a crowd, and eventually the trouble sniffers would find them and throw them into the pit.
While they were in the detention pit though, it was like all prior tensions had dissipated. They would go silent and follow their usual escape routine. Staying in the pit would lead them to being trapped in one of the horrible pit monster’s blue pods and cause them to be brainwashed into “being good” until the next school day began. Both had gone through it and both NEVER wanted to do that again. In order to avoid the brain washing, they teamed up to escape. Gus would distract the pit monster with illusions, while Mattholomule would form a hole in the wall with his construction magic in an attempt to connect to the school’s underground tunnels. Once escaping they would never speak of these times of armistice and return to their rivalry the next day.
Today, Willow Gus and Hunter are walking through the halls to lunch talking about their test after their usual afternoon algebra class.
“Willow how on earth did you get 27?!” Hunter exclaimed
“It’s basic algebra Hunter! How on earth did you get 345?”
Hunter gasped, acting offended.
“I can actually break this tie” Gus stated while pointing his finger in the air “it’s definitely 345”
“What!?” Willow gasped
The group continued to argue over question 5 until they were promptly interrupted by a short stalky witch jumping in front of them.
“Oh boo-hoo Mr. Skipped two grades and his cringe friends are worried about getting their silly advanced math question wrong”
Gus sighed, “leave us alone Mattholomule I don’t have time for whatever this is”
“I don’t know, it seems that you have plenty of time to chit chat with plant girl and little golden boy over here”
“Yeah, cause they’re my friends, now please get out of the way I have a class to get to”
“Make me”
Willow started to draw a spell circle in an attempt to defend Gus, but Gus stopped her “I can handle this willow”
“But Gus, you always end up letting him get on your nerves and end up in detention, wouldn’t it be easier to just get this all over with now?”
Hunter nodded in agreement to his girlfriend.
“Guys, this is my problem, not yours, I can handle it” Gus sighed “I promise ill see you guys after lunch?”
Willow hesitated, “Alright Gus, just, don’t get yourself hurt okay, and if you ever want us to help with this we’re here for you” willow replied
“Bla bla bla, Little illusion boy has such nice friends, I don’t care! Go away already!” Mattholomule whined
“Okay fine” Hunter replied while rolling his eyes “but seriously Gus, we’re here for you”
The two left and now Mattholomule and Gus were standing together in the hallway
“Now where were we Augustus?”
_______________________________
Not even a minute passes before the two were scooped up by the trouble sniffers.
“Let me go!” Mattholomule whined while squirming in its arms.
“Trouuubbleeee” was the only reply he got in return.
Gus had accepted his fate and was preparing for his escape. He has grown fond of these moments with Mattholomule and was actually starting to kind of like them? He didn’t know!
The two boys were thrown onto the floor and the door slammed behind them.
Mattholomule sighed as they slowly made their way over to their usual spot in the corner behind a rock.
Mattholomule began his tunneling spell while Gus concentrated on making his elaborate illusion. He always had fun designing his own creatures, and coming up with ideas to distract the monster. Today he was illusioning a giraffe which was ridden by Emmiline like a cowboy.
A few moments passed before Gus realized something was taking Mattholomule longer than usual, he turned around and saw that he was struggling and not making a single dent in the wall.
“What’s the hold up?”
“I- I don’t know? My magic isn’t working”
Gus thought about the situation for a moment
“Maybe Principal Bump finally caught onto us..?”
“Yeah…” he paused “fuck” Mattholomule stopped with his spell and a little too dramatically slumped down on the the wall with his hands covering his eyes. At least Gus was able to distract the monster, so they wouldn’t be brainwashed, but they would still be stuck in there for the entire night.
They sat there next to each other in silence. Mattholomule stayed silent and continued to hide his face from Gus, not wanting him to know how much this was affecting him. Mattholomule always hated it when his daily routine was ruined, more-so than most people. Gus felt this way too, but he wasn’t going to let it get to him right now.
The only sound in the room was the dripping of water from the cold stone ceiling onto the floor, and the occasional growl from the pit monster in the center of the room.
They stayed like this for about five minutes until Suddenly, Gus came up with a plan. He promptly summoned a mini illusion of himself, and desperately tried to visualize the school in his mind.
“What are you doing” Mattholomule asked quietly
“I’m going to try to bring this illusion to my friends so that they can help us out”
“Ugh”
Gus concentrated hard on his illusion. He had to visualize the path from the detention pit to the lunch room perfectly in his mind. He brought his mini self through the halls, around the corner, and into the lunch room. He put himself in it’s shoes to try and imagine where his friends would be. Once he believed he had gotten it to where his friends sat at lunch, and enough time had passed where they would have heard the illusions cries for help, he stopped the spell and began to relax.
Out of breath, Gus asked, “What was that ‘ugh’ for”
“Nothing” the shorter boy replied bluntly.
Gus looked at the ceiling angrily, contemplating his next move “why do you always pick on me it’s not like I’ve ever done anything to you”
Mattholomule thought about the other boy’s question for a good minute, why did he pick on Gus? He thought about how Gus made him feel. How perfect he was and how perfect himself wasn’t. Gus made Mattholomule feel a mix of very strong emotions, and he didn’t like how he couldn’t identify each one. A spark of anger came out of him as he replied “Well it’s not my fault that you're an annoying goody two-shoes with good grades and good friends, not everybody has that Porter!”
“There it is again about my friends!”
Mattholomule stuttered “Sh- Shut Up Augustus!” Mattholomules eyes started to water, and in this instance, he forgot about the barriers he had put up. Mattholomule yelled, “Maybe because you insist so much that I have no friends and nobody likes me, picking on you and getting into detention with you is my only chance for any form of friendship? Did you ever think of that too?!”
The room went silent
Gus was in disbelief at Mattholomules sudden showing of genuinity, “Is that.. really how you feel Mattholomule?”
Mattholomule covered his face as tears streamed down his face. Gus was at a loss of words
“Maybe if you weren't so mean to people, people would like you?”
“It’s not that easy Augustus, you don’t get it. I’m not like you”
Gus looked at him, he didn’t know how to feel.
“Hey” Gus puts a Hand on his shoulder “for what it’s worth I-“
Gus was cut off by a loud banging on the door and a muffled “we’re gonna get you out of there Gus!” Coming from what seemed to be Amity
Gus turned back to Mattholomule who was now looking at him. Gus saw his tear stained face which was red and puffy. There was a pang of some feeling on Gus’ heart. He couldn’t figure out what it was entirely. But what he did know was that in this instance, there was an overwhelming feeling inside him that he wanted Mattholomule to be okay.
Gus casted an illusion spell over Mattholomules face in order to hide his tears as he stood up.
“Never. Speak of this.” Mattholomule said quietly. “And… thank you for the illusion spell…. I guess..”
The door bursted open and the two were greeted with the sight of Luz, Amity, Hunter, And Willow, all combining their magic to bust down the door.
“Guys!” Gus ran over to them and gave them a hug.
Mattholomule quietly walked away unnoticed.
______________________
-Sleepover and The Owl House with Hunter, Willow, Luz, Amity, And of course, Gus-
The whole group is sitting on the living room floor and chatting.
“Alright guys, how about we play truth or dare?” Luz suggests while giggling
“Luz, please, we might as well call it dare or dare we already know everyone’s secrets!” Willow replies while giggling as well
“I don’t know! We don’t know who Gus has a crush onnnnn!” Luz coos
“Guys, for the last time, I don’t like anyone” Gus answers
“Rats.. alright then any new ideas for stuff to do?”
“Hey Gus” Amity chimes in “I’ve been meaning to tell you this cause it dosn’t seem like you’ve really noticed”
Gus looks at her confused. The group all pipes in different
“Oh my titans” or “wait he really doesn't know yet”
Gus is anticipating something big, and waits for whatever Amity has to say.
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed Gus, but Mattholomule totally has a huge crush on you”.
Gus is caught off guard and familiar warmth spreads its way through his body “what?!” He exclaims.
“It is soooo obvious Gus, the way he’s so desperate to talk with you that he fights with you over nothing” Hunter adds while twirling his hand.
“Yeah Gus how could you not notice?” Luz even agrees, Willow nods.
Gus thought about what had happened with Mattholomule the other day “I don’t know I guess I’ve just never thought about that!” Gus defends.”I mean why would I!”
“True, true” willow replies. “It must suck knowing that he of all people has a crush on you though”
The whole group agrees and Gus nods along.
“Hey maybe if you give him a kiss on the cheek he’ll leave you alone for once” Luz jokingly suggests.
Gus thinks about what she just said, and without really thinking of the implications replies “that’s actually not that bad of an idea”
“Yeah but then you have to kiss him Gus” Hunter chimes in while laughing
“Yeah but then he’ll leave me alone!”
The group for some reason contemplates the ridiculous idea.
“Hmm.. maybe that could work actually?” Willow replies
“Then it’s settled! Next time he bugs me, I’ll just do that and I’ll never have to deal with him again foolproof!” Gus falls from his sitting position to laying on his sleeping bag while putting his hands behind his head. Part of Gus knew this plan would not work at all and was ridiculous, but another part of him really liked it. Maybe it was because it could lead to him and Mattholomule becoming friends?
Luz looks over at Amity while raising an eyebrow, Amity shrugs. The group continues their regular sleepover shenanigans into the rest of the night.
___________________
When the next day begins and half of the school day has already passed, Luz and Gus are walking to their next class from history of illusions. Gus tenses up, knowing who’s locker they will be passing soon, and when the locker’s owner is usually there. (don’t ask Gus why he knows this!) he remembers what he had said the other night. Gus never backs down from a plan, and thus, braces himself.
Low and behold, the conventionally-unnatractive bowlcut boy was there searching through his messy locker for something.
The two keep walking forward until Mattholomule turns around and looks at them with a smallest hint of a smile hidden behind his scowl.
“Ugh what are you two doing here, don’t you know that-“
Before he can finish Gus lightly kisses Mattholomule on the cheek, and waves to him while walking away. “Bye bye Mattholomule!”
Luz laughs to Gus “oh my titan you actually did it?!”
“And it worked” the illusionist replies. As they continued to walk to class like nothing had happened
Mattholomule turns around to look at Gus walking away, and is frozen in place as a million thoughts cross his mind. What just happened? Why did he do that? Does Augustus like me too? Is he tricking me? Does he think it’s that easy to make me shut up?
By now a small crowd had joined, and started laughing at Mattholomule.
Boscha snides loudly while pointing “I cant believe good-for-nothing mule boy over here actually thinks someone could love him?! It was obviously a dare Matt! You’re not nearly as pretty as me!”
Mattholomules initial fluttery feeling in his heart is replaced with a deep anger. I let him see my weak side, and now he’s using it against me? I should have never opened up to him, what is wrong with me? How could he humiliate me like this?
Mattholomule left his old school, Glandus, in order to escape this type of humiliation, but it will always follow him. As long as he is weak, ugly, and stupid, the rude remarks and laughing will follow. He does the only thing he knows how to do and runs to the bathroom, locking himself in a stall. He lets all of his emotions spill out as he cries there for what seemed like hours. He was so alone, he had nobody who cared, nobody who listened. All Mattholomule wanted to do was to cry.
_______________
-Luz and amity are chatting over scroll-
Luz: yeah! And he actually did it!
Amity: honestly I’m not that surprised 🤨, did you see how he looked when I told him Matt liked him?
Luz: I KNOW! should we ask Gus if he likes him? Our constant making fun of Matt has to be making coming to terms with his feelings really difficult
Amity: Ik.. I kind of feel bad.. but I think this is something Gus should realize on his own time, ya know?
Luz: yeah… it took me awhile to realize I like you too, we should probably just leave this be
Amity: awww 💜
_______________
Next day during lunch break
The whole group is chatting about school, new movies, drama. Luz and Amity attempt to change the subject every time it lands on the drama between Gus and Mattholomule. The group is talking about plot holes in the Azura movie when they hear a slam on the table, followed by a loud, squeaky voice.
“Augustus what the hell is wrong with you?” Mattholomule yells “do you seriously think I’m that stupid? Is that what you think of me? You think I’m so weak that now I’m going to leave you alone forever? Well guess what, I’m not!”
Gus looks at his friends for guidance, but they all seem at a loss of words
“It was all I could do to get you to shut up and leave me the fuck alone!”Gus returns, raising his voice “I mean everyone knows you have a crush on me!”Gus felt like this was the correct thing to say
Mattholomule is deeply offended. He thought they had a bond, even if it was a rivalry, it was a bond, did that mean nothing to Augustus? Does He seriously mean nothing to him? Augustus was all he had, and now he was losing that too.
“You know what, fuck you!” Mattholomule started to cry “I open up to someone, finally, for once in my life, and this is what I get in return? I should have never trusted you! You’re just as bad as me!” Tears dripped off of the boys’ face onto the floor.
Gus’ friends look at him confused, not knowing what had happened in the detention pit. Gus stands there, he doesn’t want to be fighting with Matt, but is that okay? Nobody likes Mattholomule why should I like him? I don’t want to be made fun of for caring about Mattholomule. But, Mattholomule is a real person too, and he really isn’t a bad guy, he’s just lonely, and scared, Gus’ actions were not in the slightest helping with a problem he knew was going on. For once Gus listens to his gut, and looks back at Mattholomule.
“You’re right, I am”
His friends look over at him, shocked, and confused
Mattholomule continues to sob
Gus walks over to Mattholomule and wraps his arms around him while placing his hand on the back of his head. He whispers to Mattholomule “it’s going to be okay, im sorry” as he walks himself and the crying Mattholomule in his arms outside the school where nobody else is.
The school seems as it has gone quiet as Gus brings the other boy behind a tree outside. He lets go of him, and the two sit in the grass under the shade of the orange leaves.
“Hey” Gus breaks the silence
Mattholomule sniffles as more tears start to fall
Gus hesitates, “That was really shitty of me. I don’t know why I did that” Gus pauses “You are right, you gave me your trust the other day, and I totally blew it”
Mattholomule looks at him and can barely squeak out a sound
Gus looks down “I guess I just thought that it was the right thing to do. Everyone at school doesn't like you, and I didn’t want to be the one outlier, because what if my friends make fun of me” Gus sighed “saying that out loud I sound like a real jerk. You get made fun of every day by everyone, and don’t even have any friends, you deserve so much better”.
The two stayed in silence for awhile
“I’m sorry Mattholomule”
Without a word Mattholomule clings onto Gus and gives him a hug. Gus is initially shocked, but then pats his hair. They sit like this for some time while Gus questions whether or not to say something.
“And uhm, to answer your question about why I did that the other day”
Gus contemplates, making sure this is really what he feels, and it is.
“If I’m being honest the only reason I really did that was because uhm” he pauses and stutters “I- I- like you too”
“Really…?” Mattholomule says, looking up at Gus. the first thing he’s said since leaving the cafeteria.
“Yeah… yeah I like you too Mattholomule”
“But… why?”
“Because.. your just you, and I like you”
Gus looks down at Mattholomules face, instead of tears of sadness or anger, it is sheer delight. The two stare at each other for a moment and then break out into a fit of laughter. The cool autumn wind rustles the forest branches.
“Hey Mattholomule?”
“Hmm?”
“I- I get it if you don’t feel the same way, especially after what I did, but uhm.. do… you..?”
“Of course I do, idiot” Mattholomule replies softly.
Gus smiles and wraps his arms around Mattholomule for yet another hug. He then abruptly gives Mattholomule a real kiss on the cheek this time. No plan, no underlying intentions, just giving the boy that he loved a kiss. Mattholomule somehow smiles even more. They stay like this for a little bit too long.
When they finally let go, Gus softly asks, “Hey Mattholomule, how about adding one person to your list of friends?”
A big smile spreads across Mattholomules face
“Maybe make that your boyfriend? Or something? only if you want!” Gus says
Mattholomules eyes start to water yet again, and his voice cracks as he squeaks out “Id really like that”.