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Modernish Day AU (760 words)
Wylan glanced at his reflection in the visor mirror and ran his fingers over his curls.
Nina laughed. "I think that's a lost cause."
"I can't believe I agreed to come," he grumbled, dropping his hands in his lap.
"C'mon. One date won't kill you. Matthias and I will be just a few booths away if you need us."
"We will?" Matthias asked from where he was squished in the backseat.
"You know I can't pass up Wa Ho, baby." Nina pulled into the lot and parked. She got out and Matthias followed, unfolding his body and shaking out his limbs. Wylan opened the door but couldn’t bring himself to stand up. Nina sighed, strode around the car, and pulled him out.
“You’re acting like we’re leading you to your death,” she complained.
“Sorry,” he said, allowing her to drag him through the parking lot.
When they were inside, Nina pointed to a lanky boy in a booth. He wore a lime green t-shirt and bright yellow boardshorts that should have looked terrible but glowed against his dark brown skin.
When Wylan didn't move, Nina shoved him.
“What the hell?”
“Move your ass. I want waffles.”
The commotion was enough to make the boy look up. A wide, perfect smile spread across his face.
"You must be Wylan," he said. "I'm Jesper."
"Hi," he murmured, dropping on the bench across from him.
"Hiya." Jesper sat back, still grinning. "Get whatever you want."
Wylan stared at the laminated menu in front of him. As usual, the words tangled and swam and Jesper was watching and he couldn’t focus couldn’t make them stand still…
“Uh, what are you getting?” Wylan asked, quickly folding his arms over the menu.
"The All Star Special."
"I'll just have that, then."
Jesper shot him a strange look. "Okay."
They sat in silence for a few long moments until a waiter sidled up to the table, pen poised over his order sheet.
"I guess we'll have two All Star Specials," Jesper said, flashing the waiter a smile that flushed his cheeks.
"Anything to drink?”
"Just water.”
Jesper drummed his fingers on the table. "So, Kaz says you know your way around a chemistry set."
Wylan blinked. "Yeah. I, uh, guess I have a background."
"Yeah.”
"What do...what do you like to do?"
"Shoot guns." He smiled that dazzling smile. "I grew up on a farm just south of here. My mom taught me how to shoot." The smile faded.
"I've never even shot skeet before," Wylan confessed. “My dad wouldn’t take me.”
"It's the best feeling." Jesper's eyes sparkled. "Maybe I'll take you sometime."
"Isn't that illegal?"
"No," Jesper said flatly. "You need a license to own a gun, not to shoot one."
"Oh."
The waiter came with their food. It looked like a heart attack on a platter. Jesper laid into his like it was water in the middle of a desert. Wylan didn’t pick up his fork.
"Don't you like your food?" Jesper asked after a while.
"Oh, it's fine," Wylan said, his cheeks heating.
"Why didn't you just get something you wanted?"
Wylan shrugged.
Jesper peered at him. "Have you ever even been to a Wa Ho before?"
"No."
Jesper shook his head. "Where are you from, anyway? I can't believe I've never seen you before."
"The other side of town.”.
Jesper cocked his head. "What's your last name?"
"...Van Eck," he admitted, his face flushing.
"Figures you'd be a councilman's son," Jesper muttered into his waffles.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Never been to a WaHo, never shot a gun, your delicate little hands...it adds up, kid."
Wylan clenched his teeth. "I'm not a kid. I'm only a little younger than you."
Jesper rolled his eyes. "I know."
"And I might not have been to a Waffle House, but at least I don’t waste all my money sneaking into casinos. How can you even afford this date, anyway?"
"Did Nina tell you that?” He folded his arms across his chest.
Wylan shrugged. "I hear things.”
They picked at their food.
"So, what do you want to do with chemistry, anyway?" Jesper asked eventually.
"Nanotechnology.”
“What’s that?”
Wylan took a deep breath. “Basically, I want to manipulate matter on a nanoscale to develop new materials. For example, I have this idea for a compound that would react to sugars in such a way that would dissolve anything underneath it, no matter the material.”
Jesper stared at him. "You're cuter when you're smart."
Wylan’s face heated. Jesper smirked and bit into his waffle.
