STRANGERS , ʰᵉᵃʳᵗᵇʳᵉᵃᵏ ʰᶦᵍʰ

i.

staring at a dirtied brick building, teenagers rushing all around him as sweat already begins to build up on the back of his neck, holding a staring contest with an australian high school, lucien's very american self wonders: how did he get here?

well, besides the sixteen hour flight and tons of legal documents, the story was too long for him to unpack. He has somewhere to be, he thinks, as Clement tugs on his backpack.

"Hellooo? Earth to luci?" they sing-song, raising an eyebrow at their older brother. "We have to get going. Can you believe we're in the same year?"

"Yeah, I can't tell if it's because you're smart or I'm dumb," Lucien mumbles, ruffling his sibling's hair. He still wasn't used to it being so short under his fingers. He could tell Clement wasn't either.

"Little bit of both?" The other smiles mischievously when he wiggles out from Lucien's grasp.

The older rolls his eyes, before leaning down slightly to level with Clement, making sure no one hears his next words. "Okay, seriously though. Here we are twins, Clem. Not siblings. I'll be able to protect you better if people see us as equals."

Clement's smile falls, nodding at Lucien's words. "Yeah, uhm— okay. Let's go then, twin."

Although having to start over, and not being able to suss out the social environment of their new school, both boys dressed as they usually would. Lucien was adorned in all-black, with baggy pants and a tight tank top under a black zip-up. His longer black hair was held out of his face by his sunglasses. Clement was a little simpler, with dark baggy jeans and a lose white button up, topped off with a red tie. His guitar was strapped across his back. Funnily enough, neither boy stuck out all that much.

"I think we both have chemistry fir—" A sharp ringing cut Clement off, and what must have been the principle called over the intercom.

"Year 11's, Pictures in the gym!"

"Well, never mind." Clement shrugs, the pair laugh and hesitantly stalk off to find the gym.

They set their bags down by the door, seemingly the last in as they didn't really know where to go. There were some eyes dancing across them, scouring for what Lucien assumes is information. They split up for the picture, as Lucien was considerably taller compared to both his sibling and the rest of the class. He took a spot in the back row next to a tall, blond-headed boy.

"You new, emo?" The boy asks, a cocky smirk on his face.

"Yeah, but if you think that insult has anything on American high school bullies, you better try harder if you want a reaction out of me." Lucien's accent seems to grab his attention, and that of some people around him.

Meanwhile, a row up, Clement wiggled their way next to a very cool-looking friend group. They kept their eyes straight ahead, but he could feel the group's gaze on him. At least, the tall person next to him was taking an interest.

"Where'd you come from?" They spoke. Not as to demean Clement, he could tell, but more out of pure curiosity.

"Los Angeles," He shrugs, "Before that, it was what happens when a man and a woman—"

"Okay, okay, I get it. Sassy. And American," They smile, and something tells Clement he might be fine. "I'm Darren, They/Them."

"I'm Clement. He/They." He smiles back after the introduction, hoping to talk more, but is cut off once again by the principal.

"Okay students, today we are welcoming three new people into your class!" Her smile is the kind of genuine that Clement thinks tastes artificial. "We have Rowan Callaghan, Lucien Jung, and Clement Jung! Rowan is joining us from Dubbo, and the Jung brothers are from quite far away— Los Angeles." That seems to catch people's attention. Clement doesn't like that.

Lucien notices the blond boy looking around for someone, and decides to take the chance to push back. "You look like a lost puppy, blondie. What are you looking for?"

The taller rolls his eyes, his teeth gritting in aggrivation. "I'm not a lost puppy, I'm just—"

"Anthony Vaughn is cutting his dick off!" A redhead girl screams as she barges through the gym doors, before turning back around and running back in the direction that, presumably, there will soon be a severed penis.

The entire crowd of students rushed forward to see the event, but Lucien and Clement dragged along the back, along with the other new guy.

The three stood together as the event unfolded, silently, before Lucien spoke. "Do you think he'll actually do it?"

Rowan snorts, shaking his head. "No way. The one thing a teenage boy would never give up is his dick."

"Killer point," Clement adds, and Rowan turns to get a good look at the pair.

"So are you guys twins?" He asks, his eyes flickering between the two, seemingly more inclined to look at Clement.

"Yep." Lucien nods, not wanting to get into the shotty specifics of their twindom, or the lack of it. "Fraternal."

"That's so cool, you have a built in best friend." He smiles but Clement can see something painful pulling at it. "I wish my brother was closer to my age."

Lucien seems to have lost interest in the conversation, more focused on the dick guillotine showcase. Clement was still very interested in this tall, handsome boy.

"Oh really, how old is he?"

Rowan's smile seems even more stretched, and Clement is getting progressively more nervous that he is horrendously fumbling. "thirteen. Jett's thirteen."

The shorter nods, sitting in the silence for a moment. "Well, he's got a sick ass name."

"So do you, Clement." Rowan steps closer to him, isolating their conversation in the rush of the events of the quad. "I'd like to maybe know the phone number that should go with it in my phone."

The smaller boy was floored by the flirting, not used to being hit on— ever. He choked up for a split second, merely looking up at Rowan in disbelief, as panic washed over the other's face.

"I mean, sorry if I read that wrong—"

"Hand me your phone." Clement interrupts him, a small smile on his face.

Rowan tilts his head in response, knocking a few blond hairs out of place. "Huh?"

"How else am I supposed to give you my number if I don't put it in your phone?" Clement says, like it's the most obvious thing in the world. It makes him feel confident.

"Oh, yeah, of— of course," Rowan stumbles to hand Clement his phone, smiling like a fool as he types his number in. As if divine intervention, the bell rings, meaning the two have to separate.

"So i'll be hearing from you, Rowan Callaghan?" Clement's expression turns coy, settling into his usual sarcastic demeanor as his nerves fade away.

"You bet your ass you will," The blond says, before turning and walking away to some other building.

Clement can only stand there shocked, unsure of what they've already gotten themselves into. And how the hell are they gonna tell Lucien?