Sheraton Academy

Blanket Fort

Rating: PG. Warnings: old scars

Classes were over and the weekend was ahead, ready to start as soon as the day's extracurriculars were over. And since all of Kong Yok's were on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, at 3:00, his weekend officially began.

He'd never been gladder of it.

The week had been rough, with exams in every class and papers due in most, but at least because of it, the weekend would be homework free other than reading a few chapters and pretending to study the Mandarin they made him take. But since he'd grown up speaking it, it didn't really count.

What he was really looking forward to, though, was a ...not a date. JD wouldn't want to date him, so that couldn't be it. But some one-on-one time in the quiet of his room.

"I make a mean PB&J," JD had said. "I'll bring dinner! We can have an inside picnic since it's been so rainy and gross outside."

So Kong Yok hurried back to his room. JD had a theatre club meeting for the next hour, so he had time, but he still wanted to make sure he was presentable when his friend arrived.

He stripped off his uniform and threw it in the hamper to deal with tomorrow and gathered up the rest of his laundry to dump in, too. His bed was still in disarray from the blanket fort JD had made last week, but it was so comfortable, and the hanging sheets dimmed down the bright overhead light and the warm, soft, closed in space felt so safe. And the one blue pillow JD had curled up with when they put on movies still smelled faintly like his shampoo, and that was comforting, too.

He pulled on a t-shirt and a pair of jeans that actually fit instead of his usual oversized clothes, because ...because even if JD didn't notice, it made him feel a little better about spending time around him.

For a while, Kong Yok fussed around his room, picking up and putting away and organizing things, and soon everything but the messy blanket fort was back in place and he had a floor again.

Then, a knock came on his door. Kong Yok jumped at the sudden noise in the quiet room. He pressed his hand tightly against his chest and inhaled deeply, shakily, then let it out in a slow, thin stream. He opened the door.

JD stood there, in a tailored white button-down with the sleeves rolled up halfway and jeans that fit him perfectly. His grin was bright and white and honest, like always, when he said, "Hey, ready to start off the weekend right?"

Kong Yok's eyes darted nervously over JD's face, but only for a moment before he composed himself. He offered a small, tentative smile. "Yeah."

JD threw up his left hand. "Yeah!"

Kong Yok stepped to the side to let him in and closed and locked the door behind them.

"Dude, you kept the blanket fort up!"

"Yeah," Kong Yok said. "It's comfortable. I've been sleeping in it."

"Awesome! It's good to know my fort-building skills are up to par. Do you want to eat in there? I have napkins and stuff we can put down in case of a spill."

"Sure," Kong Yok said, and he smiled a little bit wider.

JD had outdone himself. He'd not only brought the promised sandwiches, but fruit salad, cupcakes and cookies from one of Kong Yok's favorite bakeries, and some sweet iced coffee in a thermos from the coffee shop next door. He'd forgotten to bring cups, but Kong Yok didn't mind sharing. He just made sure to wipe down the opening with his sleeve every time they switched.