truly a family

sorry, you're not carlos de vil

**for chibigikochin on tumblr :) just a little under 1000 words but i hope everyone likes it**

"Come on, Jay!" Reza whisper-shouted to the other boy, his frustrations finally getting the best of him, "Think about it, all logic points to it - you and me, we could be phenomenal together."

"Dude, shut it," Jay growled, doing his best to shove down his anger with the boy, shooting him a glare before his eyes settled back on his paper, "I've thought about it and it's not happening.

This was possibly the tenth time Reza had brought up the subject that day. He was hooked up onto the fact that him and Jay should be the bestest of buddies just because of their parents, or at least that's what he told Jay. Reza figured that since Jay had "dropped his standards as low as Carlos de Vil," that he would finally want to hang out with him.

Jay thought differently.

"But-"

"Reza, I don't care who your dad is or who he was to my dad, I already have frie- people to hang out with," of course, there were no friends on the Isle. “And besides, I’m not sure what data you’re looking at, but no ‘logic’ points to us being friends.”

Reza sighed, going back to his work that he wasn't actually doing. He glared at the back of Carlos's white hair, thinking, this isn't over, de Vil.

The next day, Reza cornered Jay in an empty classroom, taking him away from Carlos, who “discreetly” followed them. Before Carlos could come into the room with them though, Reza slammed the door in his face, much to both his and Jay's protest. Carlos let out a small yelp and settled on simply pressing his ear against the door, hoping to catch their conversation.

"-so just stop trying to get between me and Carlos. I told you, it's not. Going. To happen," Carlos heard Jay telling Reza, harshly, which confused him, "So, I suggest you back the hell off before I make you."

"I am better and far more intelligent than Carlos de Vil in every way and with our parents and our backgrounds it makes logical sense for us to be friends." Reza retorted, high pitched with offence as he struggled against Jay’s grip on his collar, "Anyone with eyes can see that you and I make more sense."

Carlos's confusion grew, since when were they fighting over Jay?

Reza continued, much to Jay's distaste, "Even if you do not believe I'm greater than Carlos, I am the next best and logical person to "hang out with"."

"Dude, what are you talking about?"

Reza sighed, "Carlos and I are essentially the same in most ways. We are both small, socially awkward, tied for smartest in class. We have many similarities that correspond enough that could make me a better substitute for him and you and I have characteristics in common too so-"

"What could we possibly have in common?" Jay asked, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"Well, as I said, our p-"

Jay held up a hand, "...Besides our parents."

"Well, it doesn't matter, I'm better than him in ever-

"Stop saying that!" Jay shouted. He wouldn't stand for someone speaking this way of Carlos. "No one is better than Carlos at anything," he growled out.

Reza stared at him as if he couldn't comprehend what Jay had said.

"...Alright. But it doesn't matter. You and I could be better friends than you and Carlos could ever be," he said simply and Jay's annoyance got the better of him.

"Carlos is my best friend!" Jay said, his volume growing as he slammed the smaller boy against the wall next to the door. "And I'm not sure what your definition of 'better' is, but I think we definitely have different ones."

Carlos felt his heartbeat speed up immensely when Jay called him his friend. Before, some part of Carlos told him that Jay wasn't really his friend and that he was just pretending, but hearing Jay admit that made him regret ever doubting him.

"I want you to stop bugging me and I want you to leave Carlos and I alone. He's my best friend and nothing will ever change that. Not even if you handed me the lamp on a silver platter."

Carlos's heart fluttered slightly, knowing how important the lamp was to both Jay and his father, that meant everything to him.

"Fine," Reza said shortly, "Just remember, that-"

Carlos couldn't contain himself, he swung open the door, swiftly cutting off whatever pointless nonsense Reza was about to say. Jay pushed the other boy out the door, waiting until Carlos was in the room to shut it and lock it.

Carlos smiled wildly, he had so much dirt on Jay now. Jay saw the mischief in his smile and couldn't help but avert his eyes to the ground, smiling, "Shut it, nerd."

"Ah, I think you mean 'shut it, best friend,'" Carlos teased, getting closer to Jay with each word.

Jay growled at the other boy, trying to seem intimidating after the mushy crap he'd just said. Though it didn't seem to sway Carlos who just kept the giddy smile on his face.

Carlos, to his own surprise, managed to keep eye contact with Jay as he admitted, “You’re my best friend too.”

Jay rolled his eyes, trying to maintain his “bad boy” status even while alone with the only person he can be open with. For all they know, Reza could still be outside the door. “Yeah, yeah, whatever, we’re best buddies, now we can go make friendship bracelets and braid each other’s hair, woohoo!”

“I could actually braid your hair if you wanted me to,” Carlos teased.

“Shut up, you nerd,” Jay laughed, ruffling the younger’s white tips.