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Daniel stared at himself in the worn standing mirror, his taller, sleeping body behind him from the corner of his eye.
Tomorrow, he had a mission. One that Sophia had trained all the chicken legs out of his original body for; one where he only had one chance to succeed and it had to be with this body.
The outfit he had prepared was laid out on his bed, it was one of his old regular fits from before he had transferred to Jaewon High. Having tried it on again, the outfit that had once fit tightly on Daniel's frame now hung loose and begged for retirement after years of use. Even with zero sense of fashion, having learned close to nothing about it by his second year in the fashion department, he realized belatedly that there was no way he would be let in Workers' third affiliate donning the stretched rags. Glaring over his sleeping form, he exaggerated a sigh and envied his new body who could fit in all the hand picked outfits Jay had given him for his birthday.
Jay. He hadn't seen his friend in a while. His quiet, yet somehow still loud expressiveness was something Daniel had grown to find stability and comfort in, even when he didn't notice at first. He hadn't truly noticed for a long time before he did. When was the last time he had even attended school? The last time he had seen anyone from Jaewon at Jaewon, and not in a fight? Maybe he would go tomorrow. There was time. He let his gaze subconsciously drift towards his wall, where memories from the amusement park were printed in overpriced photo paper. He would make time.
----
Walking towards his class, the students of Jaewon High were ever more energetic after seeing a familiar bubbly face in the hallways. Today there was a determination in him, and Zack barely noticed with a chilled but intrigued "Why do you look like that today?" before turning back his attention to Mira who beamed at Daniel in greeting.
Daniel had been almost nervous and jumpy on his way to school, anticipating questions he didn't want to answer while looking forward to seeing his friends. Somehow, seeing them had only made him more excited.
Zoe latched on his arm happily, as if her favorite TV show had come on after an uncertain period of waiting for the next episode.
"You just missed the architecture department! They were looking for you today." She rolled her eyes. "Like all other days."
Daniel lit up, "The Burn Knuckles were here?"
"Just Jace Park. Apparently they're just up to nothing now that Vasco's on some quest. Adventure. Trip? Whatever, something like that." Zoe waved her hand, dismissing the topic.
Vasco's not at school too? Where could he be without Burn Knuckles joining him?
"So...how's the pig- I mean, your roommate?" Zoe's voice had quieted by now, without having lost its eagerness.
Before Daniel could answer, Zoe shook her head and left to go towards Mira while muttering under her breath, dodging another topic.
Finally, as Daniel moved towards the familiar spot of his seat close to the window, he sees his seatmate facing towards him head on with the same intensity as if his eyes were directly staring into Daniel's. Daniel glinted and smiled his bright smile, unable to control the creeping fluttery sensation in his heart. Jay seems to have felt the same, his unrestrained smile mirroring his and his hands that seemed excited under his controlled and polite demeanor, made Daniel feel genuinely appreciative of this new life all in just a split second.
"Hi Jay! Long time no see." He said a bit sheepishly. Jay had probably had to go solo on some school work because of him. At least he was back now.
"..."
"What? You took notes the whole time I was gone?"
"..." Jay nodded eagerly.
"You didn't want me to feel left out for anything?"
"..."
"I can borrow them? For as long as I want!?"
"..."
"You don't need these anymore since you have your own copy??"
Jay beamed at Daniel's incredulous expression. He seemed proud, like the dogs he was so afraid of in the beginning.
Daniel would have realized earlier on that he had found this endearing had he not been so surprised at Jay's offer.
"Thanks Jay!" Suddenly he was reminded of his impending mission for later that day, the realization that he still wasn't ready sent a jolt through his heart. "Actually...this could come in really handy right now. I need a..my roommate needs an outfit for later and I've been stuck trying to find him something that fits the theme." Daniel said a bit to himself. Jay's notes had been concise, complete, and at a sellable quality even.
"..."
"What theme? Oh! It's..It's just a party. At a club he's going to.
"..."
"You'll help me find an outfit? For my roommate?"
"..."
"I can just borrow from you?? He's a bit on the smaller side though.."
"..."
"He can use yours? You have old clothes from when you were a kid that you intended to throw out anyway??"
Daniel made a mental note of the image in front of him-- of the blonde, smiling man who has helped Daniel in countless situations over these last few years without ever expecting anything in return.
"..."
"Sure! Later after school, you'll come home with me then?"
"..." Jay's head nodded almost aggressively.
"Okay! It's a date."
There was a pause.
It's a date. The sound of it had felt odd, in a way that was supposed to be normal. Now that Daniel replayed his words, the weirder the phrase sounded in his head. Did people say that to mean any sort of meeting or actual dates?
He noticed Jay tense, almost like he was going to burst and wanted to show some sort of reaction but prompted to hold it in instead, but he barely registers this. Instead the teacher grumly strides into the boisterous class and instructs them to take their seats.
--
They arrived at Daniel's later, first stopping by Jay's to pick up the clothes for little Daniel to try on. Jay's butler had conveniently prepared these in seemingly new paperbags.
Big Daniel was sleeping soundly on the floorbed, where Jay would sometimes gaze curiously while helping Little Daniel try on the clothes. Daniel mentally scolded himself for forgetting how weird it probably was for Jay to have his friend sleeping and instead had to talk to someone he didn't know. Or, someone he didn't know he knew. Jay had been accomodating though, barely questioning the dynamics and seemed more entranced rather than uncomfortable that Daniel was just sleeping. He supposes he doesn't suspect a thing.
"..." Jay smiled.
"You think this suits me?" Daniel was wearing a dark grey denim jacket with a red and black shirt underneath, matched with pants of the same material. He looked like someone's airport crush. He couldn't hide a little prideful smile, turning and checking every angle of his new outfit.
For a long time, he didn't think any piece of clothing would be able to save his less than savory appearance, mostly because of the submissive and unsure way he held himself after years of torment from his last school. Even if he didn't have the intense work out sessions he had had with Vasco and Sophia, after everything he's gone through, he could be happy with how he looked. He glowed-- not in the same way his new body did, but in a way that felt like a renovated home-- still home, but refreshed to fit a new stage of his life.
He bashfully looked behind him from the mirror, just remembering that one of the people who helped him find that confidence was in the room. Jay was no longer looking at him, but at the rest of the clothes he brought. You could almost see the gears turning in his brain, elegantly pairing bottoms with tops and tops with other layers of clothing.
He really does thrive in the fashion department, Daniel thought with admiration. Jay shined when he showed his expertise and passion, it was as loud as he needed to be.
He walked over. When Jay turned towards him, Daniel hadn't realized how much smaller his original body was compared to Jay's, and his new body, that now he had to strain his neck just to talk to him face-to-face, otherwise facing his toned chest.
"..."
"This is all for me?"
"..."
"Yeah I know you were going to throw it out anyway but still..it's too much..."
Jay moved to start packing his own belongings, getting ready to leave.
He's too nice, Daniel thought with a pang. Jay had been nothing but generous and encouraging that Daniel had nearly forgotten he wasn't in the body of Jay's friend. He was just the roommate.
He made a mental note to get Jay something in return after things settled.
The sound of his creaking door startled him out of his thoughts. Jay was leaving, but not before waving bye to him. It was getting late, and Jay had walked to his place a few hours before. As Daniel paced over, he noticed the dark surroundings just past the open door and felt guilty for not being more considerate.
"..." Jay pat his head softly, and Daniel was once again reminded of the height difference.
"You're the one who helped me out today. I owe you for this one."
Jay glanced at the sleeping form of Big Daniel just past the Daniel in front of him, and his expression was how it always was when Daniel was looking at him-- fond, and content. He wondered if he always looked like this, or if it was just with him. He suddenly felt envious when the thought of Jay being like this with someone else rose behind his mind's eye, as if he was sharing something he never expected could be shared. But Jay wasn't like this with anyone else. Just with himself, Daniel. Big and small daniel. The only one he could be envious of was himself, he concluded lightheartedly.
Jay shook his head, his bangs somehow unmoving.
"..."
"I'll repay you someday. I promise! Get home safe!"
As Jay started to walk away, Daniel momentarily replays the events of the night. He nearly forgets his original purpose-- to assimilate the third affiliate of Workers. He jumped with a jolt of adrenaline, reaching out to grab Jay's wrist before he could stop himself.
As he realized what he'd done, he slowly peeled off his grip and stared at the man in front of him who tilted his head in question. The crescent moon shone on his head, blonde locks catching its reflection.
Like a silent angel, Daniel admired.
"Oh! Uhm, I wanted to say thank you. Thank you."
"..."
He suddenly felt heat rush to his face, and the cool weather didn't help his approaching lightheadedness.
"Right. Yeah, you need to get home. Thanks again!"
Without looking back, Daniel ran back to his home, not wanting to confront Jay's open mouthed question mark. He didn't notice Jay's outstretched hand that lingered before continuing his stroll back to school, where he had left his motorcycle that a walk with his friend had replaced.
-
Daniel shuts the door behind him, quick but soft enough so Jay wouldn't interpret it as there anything being wrong. He slides down to the floor, eyes unfocused but glaring at himself sleeping. As he finally pushed himself up to take care of both bodies, after a few minutes of calming his heart, he finds his blanket tucking his larger form-- done in a way that exuded care unlike how he usually did it, which was a rare instance as it was.
Jay had tucked him in, while he was trying on Jay's clothes that Jay had given him.
This time around, Daniel let the overwhelming flow of emotion paint his features. He revelled in the memory of Jay's smile just a few moments before, of the gentleness in his hands as he prepared the clothes, of the care he'd been given even when he wasn't awake.
As he made his way to Vivi's club, he realized belatedly that all he wanted to do in that moment was replay those experiences with Jay over and over, until he remembered every second by heart.
He now had someone he wanted to treasure a little more than the others.