"...thanks. For, um, listening to all that. I'm not going to - back out, or anything, I was just a little bit freaked out." He slips a hand under James' backpack to rub his back. "You're very good, Orland. Friend and boy."

He grins and shakes his head. Then humms thoughtfully. "There was this boy—I'm pretty sure he was a trans boy, or nonbinary or something? Looked more male than anything except he had a vagina and he also seemed to be having a grand old time at the orgy. One of the new transfer students," he clarifies. "I wanna meet him. Them. Whichever."

"...I think I met him first day? The vice principal called all the new transfers in before lunch to make sure we were settling in alright. Um - short, skinny blonde, bouncy, dangerous collar bones?"

"I don't know about the 'bouncy' part, he seemed a bit too preoccupied trying to prevent himself from orgasming just from the stares, but everything else checks out."

"Tintin. Was his name. The vice-principal called him mister Saint-Martin. He said he was settling in fine but one of the gym teachers had given him shit about his binder and he'd rather sub gym for an arts credit until he got top surgery anyway. So, uh, fortunately it seems like he doesn't care who knows he's trans, that can be a weight off your mind."

"Good good. I want to eat him out, maybe he'll be as amenable to a quick blowjob between friends as you."

Edmund bursts out laughing. "I can introduce you at lunch."

They arrive at their first class.

Most of the students aren't wearing clothes; some are wearing light summerwear, the kind of thing that would be considered undergarments in the original timeline; one boy is wearing a mesh jockstrap and boots.

Mr. Dresden walks in after them, wearing a suit, tie, and gloves. "Good morning, students," he says perfunctorily. "Who's ready to learn about Jane Austen?"

Oh God above maybe he could go alter reality a bit to cause him to nap. No? That'd be "irresponsible"? Ugh.

Mr. Dresden's voice is sonorous and even, though not quite even enough to lull James into a nap. After fifteen minutes of book discussion and variously fruitful attempts to get students to engage with the text, he waves a hand and tells them to form pairs to discuss which of the Bennet sisters seems to be the most relevant to the book's themes as discussed.

Edmund, who has been listening very attentively, pairs with James.

"Have you noticed," he whispers urgently, "that Mr. Dresden is very attractive."

"...yeah? He's hot, I guess. Used to not cover up so much when nudity wasn't okay, which is interesting."

"...huh."

Edmund takes his copy of Pride and Prejudice out of his backpack and mumbles "I can't believe I can see about eight dicks right now and I'm mad about the one I can't."

"Are people less homophobic on this timeline?"

"Not really. The changes were surprisingly isolated."

"So it's Matt's mesh jockstrap unremarkable or flamboyant?"

"Neither. It's sporty."

"...it's mesh."

"Breathable! - it is flirty, not just sporty, but that's not coded as gay, really, just - a thing."

"Huh. Well I want to bend him over a desk and rail him while he's wearing it."

Sporfle. "I doubt he'd approve."

"You think he's a top? But he's making his ass so accessible."

"I think he's straight. Unless you have access to information I don't."

"I have a very good gaydar and he reads to me as 'it's not homo if you don't kiss'. Or, he did, back then he was a regular jock in clothes land, who knows how the hell naked society upbringing changed him."

"Huh. Didn't see enough of him at the bacchanal to be sure?"