Hidden in MacDonald Hall

Steaming up things

"Cleaning up the plates of food I stepped on in the dining hall isn't a horrible punishment from Sturgeon,"

Bruno commented as he swung the door open and slammed it shut; a smile enveloping his face as his eyes found Boots' with his feet up on his desk, rocking back in his chair.

"I'd say, that's a surprise! Normally The Fish would come up with a complex chore for you to do once he caught you doing one of your infamous schemes."

"One of our schemes. You're my partner in crime."

Boots blushed and put his feet down so the chair sat upright again,
"I didn't have much part in this one."

Bruno walked over to the desk and hopped up on it so he was facing Boots. He kicked his knee gently with his dress shoe and let it stay there,

"You were the end game of the Operation, so in a way you were apart of this."

"I thought the goal was for me and Diane to get together?"

"Yeah, well, there were factors added in there that changed directions of the plan," Bruno waved him off with a flustered expression.

"For once, one of your schemes didn't fall into place perfectly the first time is what you're actually saying."

Boots' raised an eyebrow jokingly as he
smirked at Bruno. The other playfully tried to kick him again but Boots grabbed his ankle and gently held it in place. They looked at each other and both boys smiled softly.

It was then that they both felt exposed. Their emotions towards one another had just been admitted within twenty four hours, after years of living together.
Now, that all of their friends aren't around to distract them with unneeded comments, the boys felt like they were bonding in a completely different way. Instead of playful banter, it was flirting but the friendliness was still there. That's something that can't just go away, no matter how attracted they are to each other. They may be best friends turned lovers but the friendship will always be a first for them. In a way, their friendship has always been a type of partnership just filled with oblivion. Now that the feelings are out there, they will come to realize nothing drastically has changed. They've finally come to terms with who they are and what the other means to them.
______________________________

Elmer knocked on the door frantically, an hour after the breakfast situation. He was accompanied by, no other than, Chris and Wilbur.

A disheveled looking Boots opened the chestnut door and smiled at the boys,
"What's up," he chirped warmly.

"We're worried about Bruno. Did Fish punish him for that romantic gesture?"

Boots opened the door wider, after Chris' question, to show Bruno on Boots' bed; hair equally awry. He waved at them with his classic Bruno smile. The boys slowly processed what they just interrupted.

"Can't certainly be that concerned, since it has been almost more than two hours."

Elmer groaned, "oh no he's teasing me! Bruno's rubbing off on him!"

"You bet I am!"

"Not what I insinuated," he flailed his arms.

"He's fine," Boots reassured "Sturgeon is taking it easy on him-"

Elmer nodded as he sighed in relief,

"...Unlike me."

Elmer yelled out and ran down the hall at Boots' joke. The group laughed and watched him take off, dodging fellow hall students. George Wexford-Smith III was passing by on his scooter and called out that Elmer was getting five demerits for running in the hall.

"That's actually the most active he's been in a while," Wilbur commented.

"Maybe I need to make him uncomfortable all the time."

"That's my boy," Bruno cheered happily.