Learning to Be Happy Again

Chapter Eleven: We're All A Bunch of Disaster Gays

A/N: Look who's back!! :)

I knock on the door of Rimshire, a little nervous. What if Fitz actually isn't okay? I shouldn't have come. Elwin was right, he needs space this was a bad idea. I turn around right as the door opens.

"Where are you going, Keefe?" Dex asks. I turn around.

"Oh, uh, nowhere! Just looking at the scenery," I lie.

"Uh huh." Dex rolls his eyes. "Well, come in, plenty of time to look at the scenery through windows."

We walk into the living room, and I see that everyone is sat in a circle. Sophie is sitting on Biana's lap, whispering. Marella, Linh, and Tam are all talking quietly. Fitz is alone, and definitely doesn't look alright. His arms are crossed, and he's looking at the ground. Dex runs over and slides next to him, wrapping an arm around him. Fitz lightens up at the comfort.

"Keefe! How are you?" Sophie asks, patting the space next to Biana. "And is it true you're not at the Shores of Solace"?"

I smile. "I'm doing well. And, yeah, I'm not there anymore."

Biana looks over. "And you're safe where you are? I know you didn't tell Fitz where you are, so I won't ask, but you're at least happy?"

"Mm, yeah, it's great. Really nice, actually. Like having a real family," I respond, smiling.

"You have us." Biana reaches around Sophie and puts her hand over mine. The burst of smooth golden joy that comes from this touch makes me smile even more.

"So. Are you and Sophie...." I look at their intertwined hands.

Sophie nods, smiling softly. "Yup, since about three weeks into your coma."

"Good on you both," I answer. How many of us are, well, queer? "How are the others? Since my nap, anyway."

Sophie sighs. "Well, we all got pretty stressed out during your, 'nap'," she puts airs quotes around the last word. "But all in all, I'd say we're doing pretty well. And besides Biana and I, Marella and Linh have also started dating. We're all a bunch of disaster gays, basically." She leans in. "And I have my suspicions that Dex likes Fitz, but he denies it."

I hum. "Yeah, I kinda get that feeling too. I hope that works out, but I'm pretty sure Fitz doesn't reciprocate those feelings."

Biana turns her gaze on me abruptly. "Did he tell you?"

Before I can say anything, Dex announces, "So, what's up with you all? In the mood for anything in particular?"

Instead of saying anything, I nod once, also trying to convey that I don't feel the same.

Since no one speaks, Dex stands up. "Seriously, anyone? A game? Food? Something?"

He waits a few seconds and then sits back down when still no one responds.

"Hey what are you all whispering about?" Marella whispers, seeming to have scooted over next to me during Dex's grand announcements.

"Just dolling out the tea," Sopihe says. She looks very proud of the sentence; seeming to think it was very cool. Biana kisses her cheek.

Marella looks excited. "Anything big?"

Biana shakes her head. "Nothing that you don't already know. I hope you don't mind, but we told Keefe about you and Linh."

"Oh, yeah, that's fine." Marella pinches my cheek. "No more girls for you now."

"You snooze you lose, I guess."

Sophie glares at Marella, but I don't mind the joke.

Just then, there's a knock at the door. Dex gets up to open it.

"Hey, losers," Stina saunters into the room with such an aura of power, that we all stop talking. "What's up? Got any big secrets you're hiding from the outsiders?" She sits down near Fitz.

"Hello, Stina," Marella greets, some air of coldness in her voice. They've always been at heads for head socialite ever since Biana joined our crew. Though, since she sort of joined us, their competition has become more light-hearted. This is just banter, unless something happened while I was asleep. It doens't feel that way, however.

Stina ignores this remark and moves on. "Biana, how're you doing?"

Biana smiles. "I'm good. Sophie and I went on a date yesterday and it was really nice."

Sophie, as if on cue, blushes a brilliant shade of red. Pink goop is radiating off of both of them so much that I have to scoot away.

Stina hums. "I'm glad! What about you, Dex? Have you figured out the triplets situation yet?"

Dex chuckles. "Almost. I might need your help for the last part though. There's one flaw that I think you might be able to solve."

I scoot back over to Sophie and Biana. "The triplet thing?"

Biana smiles. "Well, the triplets have been especially rambunctious lately. And since you were, you know, in a coma, Dex needed a prank partner. So he asked Stina, since they had that prank war a while back. He's been setting off a series of pranks to keep them in check. This one is supposed to be especially grand I guess. My favorite was when he made their hair have the texture of a swamp."

Sophie giggles. "That was so funny. Juline wasn't very happy though. My favorite was the one where we were playing tag, but specific points on the field would make you light leap right to Dex. He briefed us on the spots before hand, but seeing the triplets constantly get out when Dex was 'it'--" she dissolves into a fit of laughter.

I smirk, and then focus my attention back to Stina. Just in time too.

"So, Tam, haven't seen you very recently. How was the Neverseen?"

I can almost feel the distress coming off of him, even at this distance so I jump in. "Well, it's the Neverseen, so it can't have been a party. You shouldn't ask stuff like that, it wasn't his choice. He's probably traumatized."

Tam gets up and storms off.

Stina raises an eyebrow. "No, I think you were the one who overstepped, Keefe."

I inwardly curse myself and stand up to go after him.

Linh looks over at me. "I, I don't know if going after him is the best idea. He probably just wants to be alone."

"No, I need to fix this. He, I." I sigh.

"Keefe, please," Linh pleads. "I think it's a really bad idea. I'll go."

"No! That would be an even worse idea! If he," but I stop myself before I ruin anything more than I already have.

"If he what?"

"Nothing! It doesn't matter." Before she can ask anything else that might further damage whatever closeness I had with Tam, I run after him.