Pairing: Ricky x EJ x Gabe (OC)
Word Count: 1083
AO3 Version
Chapter 2: Knots
Gabe’s eyes unfocused, fogging over as he stared at his homework. The lines of calculus blurred apart until the page was blank. His mechanical pencil wobbled between his fingers, almost as fast as his leg was bouncing. It caused a faint squeaking from the wooden chair that he was growing quite fond of. It paired nicely with the clicking of mice from the public computers, and the thumping of book covers. His mind almost wandered back to his homework, but it quickly latched onto plans for when he got home— if he ever got home. He had been there for an eternity. And yet the calculus continued to go unsolved, nary a number on the page. It wasn’t until his cousin coughed that he could read the words clearly again.
“How do you find the area of a cylinder?” Big Red sniffled. It took Gabe a moment for his brain to clear.
“It’s 2πrh+2πr2,” Gabe answered, still staring off.
“2π…r+...2h…”
“2πrh,” Gabe finally stopped bouncing his leg to watch Big Red’s paper, “+2πr2.” He erased his chicken scratch and reoriented his pencil to write out the proper formula.
“Thanks.”
“Mhm.” Gabe quickly returned to his staring, dropping his head into his hand.
“Do you need some help?” Big Red asked nervously, unsure if he’d be able to fulfill that promise.
“Oh, no I just don’t feel like doing homework anymore.”
“Yeah, this is too much.” Big Red sighed, throwing himself back in his chair. “I need a break.” Gabe tapped his pencil against the paper. Amorphous dots were left behind, which soon turned into broad, scribbled strokes.
“Wasn’t Ricky supposed to join us?”
“Um, yeah… he said he would be here. We were supposed to work on our chemistry project.”
“Hm,” Gabe exhaled, letting the thought ruminate. He wondered what kind of excuse he would have this time. Maybe he forgot something in his locker, or he had to stay late with a teacher. Or maybe he was talking to Nini. But mostly, Gabe was still thinking about yesterday. Ricky always seemed kind of… useless? It turned out he had talent this whole time. Who would have thought?
Gabe’s homework was becoming a grayed-out mess, the margins quickly filled up with graphite. Fortunately for the paper, his attention was drawn by something in the entrance: a blue blur. Wouldn’t you know it, speak of the devil and he doth appear. Ricky rushed through the door, whipping his head around until he saw the two of you.
“Hey,” Ricky spoke with what little breath he had left.
“Dude, where were you?” Big Red wondered, as if he was dying to start this project.
“Sorry, I was talking with Miss Jenn.” Ricky dropped his bag and fell into the seat across from Big Red. “I just didn’t realize this musical was gonna be like, a whole thing.” Gabe sat up after hearing this
“What did you think it was going to be?” He interrogated. Ricky pushed his hair back, letting it fall into its natural state.
“I don’t know… I thought we’d just get together for a few days and sing and dance or something. Now she’s saying that we ‘only have a few months’.” Ricky tensed his fingers and they began to fight with each other. His nostrils flared with every deep exhale. “What have I gotten myself into?”
“Well, at least you get to play the lead with Nini,” Big Red shrugged. Ricky sighed more audibly this time.
“Nini doesn’t really want to talk to me right now,” he admitted, “and EJ isn’t too thrilled about it either.”
“Sorry, dude,” Big Red said. Gabe tried to feign a normal human response, but it was playing out pretty much exactly how anyone would expect it to— well, except for Ricky. He did feel bad though, it was his idea after all.
“At least you know now, right?” Gabe gave his best empathic smile. “Maybe you should just focus on being friends, or co-stars, or whatever.”
“Maybe…” Ricky sighed again. “Let’s just work on our project.”
“You’ve never wanted to do homework before.” Big Red cocked an eyebrow.
“Desperate times call for desperate measures.” Ricky leaned down into his backpack, allowing Big Red and Gabe to exchange concerned glances. The consensus: they had no idea what to do. But Ricky needed to learn this lesson sooner or later.
Big Red pulled a worksheet from his folder, and the two of them started working on their project. Gabe returned to his calculus, but it was only a matter of minutes before he was distracted yet again. He watched his friends jot down their work, messily scrawling across the page. Ricky in particular was distracting; he was unable to sit still for even a few seconds. His finger tapped against the table in a syncopated rhythm. His lips were pursed, hiding the teeth that were digging into the soft flesh. His lip must have gotten sore, because he quickly switched to gnawing on his hoodie string instead. It was kind of annoying, but difficult to look away from.
Gabe tried to get at least one question done, but his stomach grew uneasy, tangled in knots within knots. Maybe it was just a ploy for procrastination, but it was too hot in the library and it was making him queasy. Suddenly, the chair was too hard and the lights were too harsh, so it was time for him to leave.
“I think I’m gonna head home, actually,” Gabe said, trying to compose himself. As soon as Big Red and Ricky glanced up, he was sweating even more. He was ready to melt into a blob.
“Oh— Are you good?” Big Red squinted his eyes to get a good look at his cousin.
“Yeah, I just feel a little sick,” Gabe assured him. “I’m gonna go lay down.”
“If you say so.”
Gabe hurriedly shoved everything into his backpack and pushed in his chair.
“Feel better,” Ricky smiled.
“Thanks, see you guys tomorrow,” Gabe said, rushing out.
“What was that about?” Ricky looked over to his friend.
“Eh, he’s probably fine. Being sickly runs in our family.”
“Huh.”
As Gabe opened the doors of East High, the late-summer winds washed over him. He already felt soothed just by being out of that room. Normally he loved the library— in fact, it was the only part of school where he could comfortably relax. But right now, he just wanted to be home in bed. That always fixed everything.
Pairing: Ricky x EJ x Gabe (OC)
Word Count: 1744
AO3 Version
Chapter 1: Auditions
Author's Note: I've been writing these incredibly self-indulgent stories, but it felt like a shame to keep them all to myself haha
I hope at least someone finds joy in them, and if you have any questions let me know! This first chapter is interwoven with the first episode, but most of the other chapters are stand alone.
For most, the summer had been three months of late nights and laughter, but for Gabe it was sad and solitary. He’d been in Salt Lake for a year now, and his only friend was his cousin, Big Red. Well, it wasn’t completely out of the realm of possibility to call Ricky Bowen his friend, but more often than not when the three of them were together, Ricky spent it stressing over his recent ex-girlfriend, Nini.
As of late, he had been hatching a plan to get her back, but it was proving more and more delirious. Therefore, Gabe spent most of his summer sitting in the corner and listening to the ramblings of a poor, sweet fool. Even after the first week of school was nearly over, Gabe found himself in his cousin’s basement yet again, listening to Ricky’s woes.
“Now she’s going to spend the whole year in the drama department with EJ,” Ricky muttered to himself as he paced back and forth. “What does he have that I don’t?” He thought for a moment before whipping his head towards Big Red and Gabe. “Don’t answer that…”. Big Red slowly shut his lips.
Ricky ran his fingers through his hair, pulling the skin on his face taut before letting it snap back. “This never would have happened if I just told her that I loved her.”
“Then why didn’t you?” Big Red asked, confused. Ricky pondered it for a moment before sliding down against the wall.
“I don’t know, I just— it just wouldn’t come out.” He folded his head into his lap to hide his regret.
“What’s stopping you from saying it now?” Gabe chimed in.
“That’s the whole problem, right? She has a new boyfriend.” Big Red scratched his head, as if it was helping him think.
“But isn’t that something you’re supposed to do?” Gabe continued, “Confess your love even if they’ve moved on, especially if they’ve moved on.” Ricky looked up, a faint glow of hope in his watery eyes. “That’s what they do in sitcoms, and it always works out if it’s meant to be.”
“I think Nini made it very clear that she’s done with him,” Big Red replied.
“Well if he gave it one last shot, at least he could get some closure.” Ricky sniffled. It looked like he was about to cry, but he took a sleeve and wiped the sorrow away.
“So you’re saying… if I could tell her that I loved her now, then maybe she would forgive me?”
“Eh…” Gabe wavered his hand like a tipping scale, “I’d say it’s about fifty/fifty." Big Red looked from Gabe to Ricky, unsure of what his response would be. It seemed like Ricky wasn’t sure either. Was he prepared for another possible rejection? “What I am saying is that the problem was you being unable to tell her how you felt, ergo…”
“Telling her now could fix it.” Ricky looked like he was finally starting to piece together an actual plan. “I should audition for the musical. That way I can sing her song in front of everyone, just like she did on Instagram.” Big Red glanced back at Gabe, and he simply shrugged.
“If that’s what you wanna do,” he hesitantly agreed.
“Would you guys come with me?”
“And what, audition? I don’t know if I can do that.” Big Red sounded like it was already making him sick.
“You could sit in the audience, I just want to know someone there.” It was faint, but Ricky’s eyebrows raised into a pleading expression.
“Uh, yeah I can do that.”
“Sure, why not.” Gabe added.
“Yes! Thank you.” Ricky pumped his fists. “I think it’s at 3:00, right after school.”
“I guess we’ll meet you there.”
“Awesome,” Ricky said as he grabbed his skateboard, “I’m gonna go home and practice.”
“Uh… alright.”
“Good luck.” With that he was off, more pep in his step than Gabe had ever seen. Even if this was just a pipe dream, it was nice that Ricky was finally feeling better. Now all they had to do was wait.
“So…” Big Red drew out, “do you wanna play Fortnite?”
“Get out of my head.”
After the final bell rang, Gabe made his way to the auditorium. The door screeched open as it scuffed the floor. It was nearly pitch black in there, save for the stage lights beaming down on who he assumed was the drama teacher. It seemed as though auditions had already begun, but people were still settling in. Gabe spotted Big Red in one of the back seats, but as he sat down he noticed that Ricky was nowhere to be seen.
“Dude, have you seen Ricky?” Big Red asked.
“No, not since last night.” Gabe dropped his backpack into the aisle. “Maybe he changed his mind?”
“I don’t know, maybe.”
As people began getting called onto stage, Big Red and Gabe grew increasingly concerned. Perhaps it wasn’t such a bad thing if Ricky didn’t show up, but it was going to be hard to listen to him complain again. The crowd was drawing thinner, but just as the final person finished singing— who Gabe was pretty sure was Nini, though he had never met her— a sudden burst came from the side door.
“Am I too late?” Everyone’s necks twisted to see Ricky running in with his guitar case. “Am I too late?” The drama teacher, Miss Jenn, seemed unbothered by it
“We’re all set on Troys, we’re low on Chads,” she spoke with a melodical vigor. “You can read after the Gabriellas.” Rick panted as he ran on stage.
“I… I only studied the Troy scenes in the movie.”
“Troy would have been on time,” Miss Jenn’s assistant interrupts. They whispered inaudibly until someone from the crowd shouted.
“Whoo! You got this babe!”
Is that EJ? Gabe could understand why Nini went for someone like him. He was tall, conventionally attractive, not to mention the jersey he was wearing… but Ricky’s great too… if not a little exhausting.
But as EJ yells, the lights go out almost simultaneously. Did the power go out?
“What’s going on?” Big Red whispered to Gabe.
“I’m not sure.” Everyone continued to murmur amongst themselves. Gabe couldn’t make it out, until suddenly Nini began singing. She had a sweet voice, but nobody could see her in the dark. Wait, was that… Ricky? He seemed to have turned on his phone’s flash, and used it as a spotlight. That was actually sweet, maybe this was a good idea after all. Oh wait, now EJ is getting up? This turned awkward real fast. And Nini really dragged it out, was she singing the whole song? What was even going on anymore? As if her voice was that angelic, the lights returned as soon as she finished.
“Okay! Thank you, Nini.” She smiled and briskly rushed off to sit with the others. “You, late boy. Let’s do the Chad sides.” She waved him over as she began flipping to a certain part in the script. Ricky awkwardly shuffled to center stage, clearly thrown by whatever just took place. Gabe and Big Red attempted to give him a thumbs up, but he didn’t seem to notice.
“Hey there, I’m Ricky Bowen, I’m a junior and uh… here goes.” The two of them aren’t sure they can watch. He clears his throat abrasively before starting. “I don’t get it Troy. What kind of spell has this elevated IQ temptress-girl cast that suddenly makes you wanna be in a musical?”
Wow that’s rough… of course the crowd was silent, but it was almost audible. Ricky paused, but Big Red motioned for him to continue. He took a breather before crumpling his script and pressing on.
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s the way Gabriella always had your back? And maybe you can’t stop beating yourself up for totally blowing it with her. And look, Troy, even if you never said the ‘L-word’ to Gabriella— ‘cause that’s, like, not even a word your parents say to each other anymore…”
Yikes…
“That doesn’t mean that you don’t. Maybe it just means you were waiting for the right time to say it, so that everyone could hear it. No… so that she could hear it…” Ricky stood for a moment as people looked around. Gabe had never seen High School Musical before, but even he could tell that Ricky had gone off script.
“Okay, kiddo,” Miss Jenn interjected, “time to sing.”
“Oh, actually if you don’t mind, I kinda prepared my own song?” Ricky held up a hand to stop the pianist from playing.
“Sure,” Miss Jenn nodded. Ricky grabbed his guitar and began strumming rhythmically. Suddenly, the stress in the room melted away. Finally, he opened his mouth:
“So much has happened, think of what we’ve done, in the time that the Earth has travelled ‘round the sun…”
Y’know, over the entire summer, Gabe had never once heard Ricky sing— or play his guitar, for that matter. He didn’t even know that he could.
“Winter, spring, summer, and we’re back to fall; we’ve been together hand and hand through it all.”
He was amazing. It was actually quite beautiful.
“It’s just three little words, yeah it’s not a big deal. It’s not like I can help feelin’ all that I feel.”
Gabe couldn’t look away. It was like it was the first interesting thing that had happened all day.
“And by now I’m sure you’re thinkin’ it’s so obvious, but just in case it’s not what I’m sayin’ is this, what I’m sayin’ is this.”
And he was transfixed.
“I think I kinda y’know, I think I kinda y’know. Like the way that we flow, like the way that we go, and I love— I think I kinda y’know.”
Hearing him say those words just felt comforting.
“I can’t help dreamin’ of you. Guess I’m saying I don’t not…you.” Gabe suddenly snapped out of it. Did he…? He couldn’t even say it.
As the final chord faded into silence, everyone began to applaud him. Ricky, on the other hand, seemed dejected. For the first time, Gabe actually felt bad for him. It was difficult when he was droning on and on, but Gabe could see him in a different light now. Clearly, Nini won’t be running back to him anytime soon. But maybe that was for the best. Maybe he should be with someone else.
I just thought of this as I was listening to "Sera's confession" from hazbin hotel
It kind of reminded me of Missy wells in the way that she has done wrong things for what she thought was the right reasons and if she actually showed regret for those actions.
Sure, she hasn't killed anyone or ordered anyone's death (that we know of) but think about it, her actions could have indirectly led to so many monsters' deaths, it already led to manys imprisonment.
I wonder how hard it would be to accept that she was part of what was hurting her daughter and so many others. That she was part of the problem rather than the solution.
Honestly, I want Addison's parents to at least show some regret and apologize in some way. If Bucky can, so can they!
Finally, after five and a half seasons, more than 100 episodes, and about 200 traumas, Adrien has finally decided to go to therapy to talk about his father. It's a step forward!
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