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"Come on, slowpoke!" Ace called over his shoulder as he walked up the hill, picnic basket in hand.
Deuce smiled softly as he looked at the ginger, those red eyes full of mischief and affection. He adjusted his hold on the picnic blanket and picked up the pace, "I'm coming, I'm coming."
The sun steadily set as they walked up to the top of the hill, blue sky fading into yellows and reds. The birds started to fly back to their homes, singing the last of their little songs for the night as the frogs from a creek started to take over.
Deuce set the blanket down and straightened out any wrinkles as Ace set the basket down and started taking little sandwiches out of it along with some bottles sodas, and a packet of gummies.
"God that test in Trein's class was hard, I swear I failed," Ace said as he took a bite of the sandwich - fried chicken, if Deuce remembers right.
Deuce hummed as he took a swig of his soda. Admittedly, Ace saying a test was hard was worrying - the guy got better grades than he does without even studying. Ace didn't need to know how much it worries him though.
"Yeah, but you're pretty smart, you probably passed," he said into the bottle just before taking another drink.
From the corner of his eye, he's half certain he could see Ace's face go red for a moment. Only a moment where the red head's face matched his hair, it was a nice moment.
"Tch... Stop being so sappy, Juice."
The corner of Deuce's mouth quirked up; as much as he claims to hate the nickname, he's grown accustomed to it - even started to like it.
They continued to talk about school, their clubs, their friends. Anything and everything under the sun.
"Heard Prefect's getting Grim a little harness thing," Ace said mid-bite.
Before Deuce could reply, some shouts came from the school's courtyard, causing Ace to stand up and look over at it. "Yo, some guys from Savannaclaw are fighting."
"What?"
"Chill, Jack isn't down there, he's fine."
With a tiny frown, Deuce leaned back in his seat, less alarmed knowing a friend isn't in trouble. He looked back up at Ace, who was still enjoying the show.
The ginger was showered in golden light from the setting sun, he looked beautiful like this, he looked heavenly. Like those trophies in cartoons that glimmered and shines in golden light that always came from somewhere off screen.
He felt his heart beat a little faster and his face heat up as he stared. What did he do to deserve someone like Ace to be even slightly interested in him?
Ace - the boy who acts like he doesn't care about anything or anyone, but couldn't care more than anyone else. Ace, who raced to the school to help a friend during winter break. Ace, who pushed him to be better no matter what, who could always stop him from getting into a fight by saying something that would snap him out of his anger.
What did a delinquent who made his own mom cry do to deserve someone as kind and caring as Ace?
Deuce pressed his lips into a line as that thought came.
What did he do to deserve Ace? To deserve any of his friends? To deserve a boyfriend?
He was a horrible person not too long ago and what? Now the world rewards him with all this? With going to a prestigious school, getting new friends - better friends, a lover, more people who care than he could ever think of?
It isn't fair...
It's not fair to the kids he tormented, to his neighbors who would flinch at even a tiny movement, to anyone back home who would - and should - question any bit of niceness he tries for.
He's an awful person who made so many people miserable and didn't even think to stop any of it until it directly impacted his mom. What kind of person would stop that late?
Really, he doesn't even deserve to-
"Hey," Ace's voice broke through the spiral. He came more into focus, less of the golden light keeping him a silhouette.
Deuce could see the colors in his boyfriend, the red undertones of his skin, the freckles, the cherry red eyes full of concern, tapioca hair a mess from the day.
"You okay, dude?" Ace crouched in front of him.
Deuce nodded, "yeah- I just-"
"'nother spiral?"
Deuce blinked, slightly surprised that Ace already knew what was bothering him. He nodded softly, causing a small sigh to leave the ginger. "Was it that obvious?"
Ace took his place back beside Deuce and wrapped an arm over the blue haired boy's shoulder, "nah, I just know you too well. Couple shared near death experiences oughta do that to you though."
Deuce let out a surprised laugh, he tilted his head back onto Ace's arm, "don't even start with those."
"What? You know it's true, you can read Prefect and I just as well as we can read each other."
They talked a couple minutes more before Deuce looked back over at Ace, his blue-green eyes full of affection, and leaned his head on the other's shoulder. "Thanks, hon... It really means a lot, y'know?"
Ace blinked a little before a soft smile pulled at his lips, "yeah, I know."