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 M!Reader
Prompt: Omegaverse
Word Count: 871
A/N: I originally wrote this for the other person who works on this blog but he is choosing to remain anonymous. Enjoy :)
“Ricky,” EJ frowned, noticing him start to pace in the back of the rehearsal room. “Are you-”
“I can’t remember okay! I can’t-” EJ took his hands to stop him from pacing and held his wrists tightly.
“Use your words.” Ricky nibbled on his lip a bit but he was unable to stop himself from answering an Alpha’s command.
“I… I think I forgot to take my heat suppressants this morning. I was late and in a rush and-” EJ ran his thumb over the skin he could reach.
“It’s okay,” He smiled. “I’m sure Y/N has some, he’s pretty good about that stuff. Come on, let’s go ask.” Ricky nodded and buried his head into EJ’s chest quickly. His boyfriend’s scent was a pretty surefire way to calm him down. Taking a few deep breaths, his nerves slowed and he felt okay. Well, besides the fact that he was antsy and starting to sweat.
EJ kissed the top of his head and held him against his chest for a second while his boyfriend calmed down. When Ricky pulled away, EJ found beads of sweat already forming at his brow.
“Come on, we should hurry.” Hand in hand, the boys ran down the hallway to y/n’s pre-calc class. EJ looked in through the doorway and frowned when he couldn’t find the third partner in their iconic trio.
“Is he in there?” Ricky mumbled, starting to feel a little woozy.
“I don’t see him.” EJ frowned and turned to Ricky. “Shit, you look awful.”
“Thanks,” Ricky mumbled and fell backwards against the lockers that coated the halls. EJ helped him sit down and propped him up, pulling out his phone to send a text to y/n.
EJ: ‘Where are you? Did you skip?’
The response came almost immediately which wasn’t normal for when his boyfriend was supposed to be in class.
Y/N: ‘In the auditorium. We’re getting one last rehearsal in for the concert this weekend.’
“Shit.” EJ mumbled and turned to his boyfriend as he pocketed the phone. “What’s the likelihood we can make it across school in enough time?”
“Probably zero,” Ricky mumbled, his face starting to turn red as his body heated up. EJ needed to think of something, and fast. Precalc. That was Y/N’s last class of the day. And lockers were located near the last classes which meant-
EJ bolted to his feet, his mind trying not to be distracted by the fact that his Omega was hurting and needed to be helped as fast as possible. He scanned the row of lockers, looking out for the number.
“Gotcha.” He said under his breath and rushed towards it, putting in Y/N’s code like it was something he had done a million times before. Up top, there was a little medicine pouch that held extra supplies and medications. He grabbed it, riffling through, until he found what he was looking for. He rushed back over to Ricky and handed him the pills.
“Water,” Ricky mumbled looking at them, sweat dripping from his face.
“Right.” EJ said, helping him up as best he could and walking the few steps over to the water fountain so he could swallow the pills.
The later you left taking your suppressants, the less effective they would be. So Ricky probably only had an hour at most before it wore off. EJ needed to get him home as quickly as possible. He pulled out his phone again and shot Y/N another message.
EJ: ‘Had to grab the extra suppressants from your locker for you know who. He’s okay for now, but I should take him home so he can nest. I’ll be back to pick you up soon <3’
He walked back over to Y/N’s locker and put the pouch back, making a mental note to buy him some replacements later. He left Ricky at the water fountain which proved to be a bad idea because when he had finished locking his boyfriend’s locker, his other boyfriend was wetting his hair as best he could from the spout. He chuckled to himself and pulled out his phone so he could take a video, Y/N would find it cute, before the man himself had sent him another message.
Y/N: ‘Awww I wish I wasn’t stuck in rehearsal so I could watch. He always builds the best nests’
EJ agreed, Ricky really was great at making everything cozy for them.
Ricky: ‘Wish you were here with us :(‘
EJ looked up from his phone and saw Ricky was back to sitting against the lockers, but this time he looked a lot better.
“Come on, Richard. Let’s get you home.”
“I want Y/N to come with.” He crossed his arms, and EJ really did not have time to deal with stubborn Ricky right now.
“He’ll be home right after school, alright? Don’t you want to go get everything nice and cozy for him?” EJ really hoped this worked, especially since Ricky was starting to fall from sane mind. To his surprise, Ricky nodded and let EJ help him up. The pair walked to the car together, EJ’s mind only focusing on one thing. He hoped he’d be with both his Omegas soon, so everything could feel right again.
