She grins. "That's so cute! The transfer whose dick you were gushing about, right?"

"Yeah! Guess we both kinda, ah, caught feelings, there."

"Well," she says seriously, "just remember one thing."

She leans in close.

"I have three beautiful girlfriends and they all smoke weed, so I'm still cooler than you."

He sporfles. "Should I start collecting to compete? My next target is that gorgeous Canadian transfer, wonder if I can also seduce him in one day."

Vivian narrows her eyes and punches a fist into her hand. "Thin ice, Orland. Thin ice." Then she shakes her hand out theatrically, and her expression goes more solemn. "Seriously, though, you're just gonna fuck him, not try to add him to the relationship geometry? Because you really should appreciate your shiny new boy for at least a couple of weeks before trying to open up the poly can of worms."

"—I mean, to some extent it's already open. 'Cause like. We talked about it. A bit? I guess we didn't talk very explicitly about it." Thoughtful hum. "Well I don't really know Tintin yet and Edmund is literally my first actual crush so like what are the odds Tintin will be the second." Shrug. "Anyway we both wanna eat him out."

Vivian nods approvingly. "That's just sensible."

"It is!"

And you know what's also sensible? A full on French kiss with accompanying groping when he runs into Edmund that morning because now he can just do that.

Squeak! "Hullo there!"

"Hey, handsome." Ass squeeze. "Yesterday I found out—you know what I mean—that my parents have a boyfriend? Well my dad does, it's apparently never really been clear even to this timeline's me what their relationship with my mother is like but my dad is definitely dating this dude."

"Oh! That's - either cool or kind of distressing depending on how you feel about him?"

"He's great, I used to call him uncle Nate on this timeline when I was smaller. He's kind of a goth but it's cool."

"Good! I'm very happy for your father, and possibly your mother."

Further kissing? Maybe some further groping too?

Definitely further both of those things, with perhaps some erstwhile-indecent genital action.

Ooh. Edmund likes the sound of that.

Homeroom is, by some definitions, a class, so their homeroom teacher might find it in herself to object if he gets on his knees right here. This is terribly sad. However, no one could possibly object to him sucking on James' neck for a few seconds to leave a vividly red mark.

This is true. However: "You can blow me later, I still haven't forgotten I'd promised you that."

"Good."

The teacher clears her throat, and Edmund returns to his seat. Attendance! Pledge of Allegiance, for which Edmund remains seated! Announcements over the PA system!

"...and Homecoming will be held in the gymnasium tonight at 7:00 PM," drones the vice-principal. "We encourage students to dress for the occasion."

"What on earth is a Homecoming?" Edmund wonders.

A girl next to him yawns. "S'a party. Celebrates the start of the year."

"Come on, I'm sure you must have watched some American movie about high school with it. Didn't High School Musical have it?"

"I've heard of prom? Don't think Homecoming ever featured in anything."

The girl nods. "Prom's more... pairwise? Homecoming you can come with somebody but mostly it's just a party."

"Which means you can come with multiple somebodies."

She shrugs. "You could probably take a throuple to prom."

"God I hate that word," Edmund contributes.

"I prefer triad," James agrees, "but Homecoming is somewhat more freeform."

"Are you wondering, perhaps, if mister Saint-Martin is inclined to come."

"I am not, because I am dragging him to it regardless."

"Good, good."

Bell! Off to English class?