It's Like Running Away

Dodge veered off onto the path towards the Remington dorm, happy to walk Aiden back. "So you're a turtle? What happens if I roll you on your back?"

"Not a turtle," Aiden corrected. "Like a turtle. There's a difference there. I wouldn't want to be a turtle. They move really slowly."

"Not like you move very fast anyway," Dodge joked as they made it to the front door of the Remington dorm. "So, what are the chances that you'll actually make it to class today?"

"I do so move fast," Aiden said with an amused smile. "How about I make you a turtle and see how you like it? And I should make it to class. I'm not that tired. In fact, I feel oddly not tired."

"If I was a turtle, I'd never go into my shell. But I'd spend a lot of time in the water." Dodge's eyes developed a far-away look as he contemplated living a turtlish life, but then he snapped back to reality. "Think you can make it to your room? Might look strange for me to be walking to your room in the morning."

"If you were a turtle, you wouldn't be able to run track anymore. Plus, if a bird were to swoop down and try to eat you you would have to go in your shell or die," Aiden pointed out. "And yeah, I can make it to my room."

Dodger sighed. "Does everything have to make sense to you?" he asked exasperatedly, before smiling to show that he wasn't really annoyed. "I'll be a superturtle or something," he murmured to himself, before leaning in to kiss Aiden on the cheek. "Don't fall asleep up there."

The next five or so days (Tsuki fails with math) passed quickly. It seemed almost too quick really, and then it was Saturday. Most of the day, for Aiden at the least, went into doing his homework that was due the following week, the assignments having accumulated over the course of the week.

Dodge spent a full school week trying to make sure that his grades stayed up. He knew there was a track meet coming up in a few weeks and if his marks started falling now, he'd be screwed. Luckily, they were covering advanced humanoid creatures with Dean Hassan and that was something he was already interested in, which kept that grade just as high as his Defense grade. Finally, Saturday came and he ran for what felt like hours, trying to relieve all of the stress of the week. He'd barely seen Aiden, which was annoying in theory, but in all honesty he hadn't wanted to see him all week in case he pressured him too much towards the GSA. Finally, though, he went up to his dorm and took a shower, contemplating what he could wear. In the end he chose jeans and a polo shirt, because there was nothing worse than looking like you tried too hard. He was ready for GSA but the question was, was Aiden?

Aiden sighed at the textbook in front of him, running his hair through his hair which messed it up effectively. He glanced over the clock by his bed from the desk chair he was settled in and frowned slightly. It was later than he thought it was. Sighing again, he closed his book and got up from his desk chair to dig around for shoes under his bed. Dodge was meant to show up soon, for the GSA thing.

Dodge fumbled at the lump in his pocket as he walked down the path that led to the Remington dorms, feeling inexplicably nervous. They were only going to GSA, which he did every week, and really what could be nerve-wracking about that? Well, there was the fact that he had no watch, so he couldn't keep up with the time, and for some reason he'd felt the need to bring Aiden a gift. He wasn't sure on the etiquette of dates, or whether this was even a date at all, but somehow a present felt right.

He found himself at the door of the dorms and he let himself in, heading straight for the stairs. When he made it to the top floor, he noticed a few boys in his year hanging around and he waved politely to them before making his way down to Aiden's room and knocking on the door.

Aiden was digging around for his second shoe when he heard the knock on the door. First shoe still in hand, he got up off the floor where he'd been digging around under his bed and went to open the door. "Hey," he said seeing Dodge on the other side of the it.

"Um, hi," Dodge said, glancing from the shoe in Aiden's hand down to his shoeless feet. "Is it, like, opposite day? Cause I don't think I can walk with my hands."

Aiden looked down at his shoe for a moment. "Um, no," he answered, shaking his head. "I just can't find my other shoe. It's mysteriously gone missing."

"Oh," Dodge said casually, as if his suggestion had been equally valid. "Need help finding it? I could, like, pick up the bed or something." This was pretty much how every search for something went back home; he was constantly being called into his mom's or Moira's bedroom to hold something up while they looked beneath it.

"It's fine," Aiden replied. "Already looked under the bed. Just give me a minute. Almost searched the whole room already." He thought for a moment as to where the shoe could be, then decided to check over by his desk, as that was the only place he hadn't looked yet. "Aha!" Ai cried triumphantly as he pulled it from behind the desk, wondering how it had gotten back there.

Ellei:

"Strange place for a shoe," Dodge said, shaking his head. His hands drifted to his pockets and suddenly he remembered Aiden's gift. He dug it out and smiled nervously. "I got you something," he explained, offering the cinnamon gum.

Aiden, who had been in the process of trying to pull on his shoes while still standing looked over to where Dodge was standing, the something held out to Ai. Shoes now on his feet, Aiden walked over and accepted the gum, looking at it for a moment. "Thanks," he said, unsure of what else to say about it.

Ellei:

"I just...thought you might like it..so, ready?" Dodger asked eagerly. He always loved the meetings and he hoped Aiden would too, despite his shyness.

"I do like it. Cinnamon is my favorite gum," Aiden said with a smile. "And, yeah, suppose I'm ready now that I've found my shoes."

Ellei:

"I'm glad," Dodge said, smiling, not bothering to clarify what he was glad about. In less than five minutes they were approaching the classroom the meetings were held in. He reached to grasp Aiden's hand and then hesitated, hearing the voices on the other side of the door. 'You sure about this?'

Aiden bit the inside of his lip, hearing the voices as well. He thought for a second before giving a nod of his head.

Ellei:

Dodge opened the door and stepped in, Aiden behind him. "D!" Stevie shrieked, popping up from a desk. "Is that...?"
Dodge shushed her quickly, ducking his head embarassedly. "Hi guys," he muttered. "This is, uh, Aiden," he added, gesturing vaguely.

Every molecule in Aiden's body wanted to just back up and leave once he saw the people who owned the voices he'd heard before, but he forced himself to calm down. He couldn't run scared of people his whole life after all. He supposed that maybe he should say hi or something, but his voice seemed to have run off to somewhere else.

Ellei:

Stevie, reigning in her enthusiasm, introduced herself and then pointed out the others: from Jag, who Dodge had sort of dated; to Alex, who didn't really look like a boy OR a girl; and finally to their sponsor, Miss Ramsay. "It's just Dru here," she corrected. "Thank you for joining us, Aiden."