Tangled Hearts And Classroom Smiles

A Proposal of Five

The familiar hum of the school's HVAC system filled the room as Fourth sat at his desk, absentmindedly tapping his fingers against a stack of papers. It had been an exhausting day, and the silence after the kids had left was both a relief and a source of anxiety. Nan had been picked up by her grandparents earlier so he could stay late to finish up some work, but his thoughts were anywhere but on his paperwork.

He couldn't stop thinking about what had happened over the weekend. About Pond. About that night. The mark. Everything.

The door to his classroom creaked open, pulling him from his thoughts. Fourth looked up, and his heart skipped a beat as Gemini stood there, leaning casually against the doorframe.

"Can we talk?" Gemini asked, his tone light, but there was something serious in his eyes.

Fourth's throat tightened, but he nodded. "Yeah. Sure."

Gemini walked into the room, closing the door behind him with a soft click. He didn't sit, just hovered near the desk, his gaze never leaving Fourth's face.

Fourth took a deep breath, deciding it was better to get ahead of the conversation before it spiraled out of control. "I'm... I'm sorry," he started, his voice quiet but steady. "For sleeping with Pond. I didn't know he had partners. I wouldn't have if I'd known."

Gemini's expression didn't change much, but he seemed to soften just a little. "It's not me you need to apologize to," he said, his voice calm, as it always was. "I don't mind it, really. But... Dunk and Phuwin were the ones most affected."

Fourth looked away, guilt gnawing at him. He could still remember Pond telling him about the pain Dunk and Phuwin had felt when Pond marked him. He hadn't meant for any of this to happen. He had just been... swept up. It wasn't like he had planned it.

"I want to make it up to them," Fourth said quietly, "but I don't know how."

Gemini tilted his head, his lips curling into a small, knowing smile. "Well... there might be a way." He leaned against the desk now, his eyes never leaving Fourth's. "What if you... gave it a try? Dating us."

Fourth blinked, not sure he'd heard right. "What?"

Gemini chuckled softly, as if the idea was so simple, so reasonable. "You're already marked by Pond, and that mark is going to be there for a month. What if, during that month, you gave us a trial? See if you could fall in love with any of us."

The words hung in the air like a challenge. Fourth felt his heart pound in his chest, confusion swirling in his mind. He had never once considered being part of a polyamorous relationship, and now here he was, being asked to give it a shot with five men.

"I... I don't know if that's a good idea," Fourth stammered, his fingers fidgeting nervously in his lap. "I'm not even poly."

Gemini shrugged, pushing himself up from the desk. "That's why it's just a trial. If it doesn't work, no harm done." He smiled, leaning in just a little closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "But if it does... you might find something you didn't expect."

Fourth's mind was spinning. He didn't know what to say. The idea seemed crazy, but at the same time... something about it intrigued him. He already felt a connection with Pond, despite the whirlwind circumstances. And Gemini—well, he had always had a way of getting under his skin. Maybe there was something there too.

Gemini straightened up, pulling away as if to give Fourth space to process. "Think about it," he said, his voice light again. "It's only a month. Who knows? You might end up falling for more than just Pond."

Fourth opened his mouth to protest, to say no, but the words didn't come. Instead, what he heard himself saying was, "Okay. I'll try. One month."

Gemini's smile widened, a look of satisfaction flickering in his eyes. "Good. I'll let the others know."

Before Fourth could respond, Gemini leaned in close, his warm breath brushing against Fourth's cheek. He pressed his nose softly against Fourth's neck in a gentle sniff, the subtle intimacy of the gesture sending a shiver down Fourth's spine. Then he pulled back, as casually as if he hadn't just stirred something deep inside of Fourth.

"I've got to pick up Dunk from his workshop," Gemini said, his tone casual once more, as if they hadn't just made an agreement that would change everything.

Fourth swallowed, still stunned by the turn of events. "Right," he mumbled.

With a final glance, Gemini turned and walked out of the classroom, leaving Fourth sitting there, reeling from what had just happened. A trial. One month.

He could still feel the warmth of Gemini's touch, the lingering scent of him in the air.

What had he just agreed to?