Title: Sky Blue Triad I: Scattered Clouds
Author: astra
Rating: PG-13
Status: 1/4 Complete
Pairings: Casey/Zeke
Summary: Casey and Zeke have a bet.
Thank you: to Vshendria for wonderful beta!
Casey looked at his watch and smiled.
8:43 on a Monday morning and it was already shaping up to be one of the best days of his life.
He cast a look down the hallway towards Room 114, where Miss Burke would be expecting him in just two minutes.
Too bad.
He turned into the crowd of students hurrying to class and weaved his way towards the boys' restroom.
Zeke's domain.
He dodged the pothead that bolted through the door just as Casey reached it. Casey shook his head, still smiling, and entered the dingy room.
Three sets of clouded eyes looked at him, then looked away. He moved to the side, still holding the door open, and waited.
Three blurs of movement and Casey was alone.
He let the door swing closed and leaned down to place his backpack carefully to the side. He no longer had to worry about anyone disturbing it.
Standing up, he looked in the mirror, taking a moment to straighten his hair and check his shirt collar. He smoothed away the wrinkles left from Delilah's possessive grip.
Adios bitch.
He watched his reflection as he laughed. He looked good.
Well, at least Delilah had been good for something. She'd insisted on a "make over" and now his hair was kept neatly trimmed rather than being allowed to grow untended. His clothes were a bit nicer too, although he had drawn the line at buying a bunch of overpriced designerwear so he could parade around with someone's name on his backside.
He offered his reflection a parting smile as the bell rang to signal the one minute warning.
One minute.
Sunlight managed to brighten the miserable little room a bit. Casey pushed away from the sink and strode towards the frosted-glass window.
As he passed it, he stopped and glanced into the first stall. Memories of huddling there miserably while tending to bruises and bloody noses had been replaced by more pleasant ones.
All things considered, this wasn't such a bad room after all.
He waited until the door opened and closed again before turning, feeling his smile stretch into a grin.
"Missed class again, Mr Tyler?" he teased gently.
"You here to punish me Mr Connor?" Zeke took a step closer and hung his head doing the most unconvincing job of looking repentant.
"You'd just enjoy it too much."
Now Zeke was grinning... right up until Casey claimed those lips and tried to teach them that trick Delilah had shown him. He didn't quite get it right, but Zeke didn't seem to care.
"Now who's the bad influence?"
"Not me," Casey insisted, shaking his head. "Not yet. But I'm learning." He pressed his body full against Zeke, then slid past to retrieve his backpack. "Wanna go for a ride?" He leaned in close and licked his lips invitingly.
"Come on, you rebel." Zeke reached into his pocket and took out his sunglasses, putting them on and posing for Casey.
"Mmmm. Very nice."
Zeke grabbed Casey's hand and dragged him to the door, checking the hall before hurrying them both out of the bathroom, then out of the building. There might have been an outraged yell from Mr Dawes, the new Sociology teacher whose classroom was closest to the door, but neither boy was sure. And neither boy cared.
They collapsed into Zeke's car, gasping and laughing. They were still laughing when the newly refurbished GTO roared out of the parking lot towards the highway.
It was a brilliant, clear October day — warm and full of sunshine with a scattering of fluffy white clouds. Casey dug out his camera and took impossible pictures from the moving vehicle while Zeke laughed at him and fiddled with the radio.
"Any idea where we're going?" Zeke asked after a while. The motion of the car always soothed him and it seemed that he was in an especially good mood today.
"Is that really what you want to ask?" Casey countered, keeping his voice as neutral as he could considering all he wanted was to roll down the window and scream his happiness to the clouds.
"I don't think I have to ask. You're here; isn't that my answer?" Zeke couldn't quite keep the edge of anticipation out of his voice.
"Ask anyway," Casey insisted, sliding closer to Zeke. He reached out to him, but stopped before touching.
Not yet. Not yet.
The silence stretched out, not really uncomfortable. Without warning, Zeke steered the car towards the upcoming exit and they were suddenly headed towards a town neither of them had ever heard of.
The silence between them was easier now; this was familiar. Casey loved these little adventures and Zeke was happy to oblige, driving them off to points unknown where they spent hours just wandering around exploring.
They stopped at a drive-thru and got some breakfast and directions to a park. They sat on the see-saw and ate, Zeke's long legs holding them level until the food was gone. They raced each other on the swings and tried out the small slide even though Zeke's feet were halfway to the bottom when he was seated at the top. There was a fort and wooden train and they played cowboys and bank robbers until a pre-school group arrived.
Giddy and laughing they retreated, following a nature trail into solitude. It was cooler and a bit damp here, the sunlight fractured by the leaves and branches overhead.
Casey shivered and Zeke drew him close, leaning down to press a kiss to his forehead. Casey shivered again, for an entirely different reason. He wrapped his arms around Zeke and held on tight.
"Can I ask now?"
Casey nodded against Zeke's shoulder.
"Did she hurt you?"
"No..." A whispered answer mirrored in the slight shake of his head.
"Are you glad she's gone?"
A sharp intake of breath, then a nod and a barely whispered, "Yes."
"So am I, Casey. So am I."
They stood together for a long moment. Finally Casey pulled back slightly, looking up into Zeke's eyes. He reached out and Zeke moved his hand to meet Casey partway. They found a secluded bench and sat together in silence for a long time.
"I'm ready." Casey's voice faltered a little but Zeke pretended not to notice. He stood and led the way back to the car, not touching Casey again until they were back on the highway.
"We don't have to... " Zeke stopped, then sighed and tried again. "It was just a stupid bet."
"It's not because of the bet, Zeke." Casey's hand was gentle on Zeke's arm. "You were trying to help."
"Right," Zeke scoffed.
"I knew it was over when I wouldn't sleep with her."
Zeke threw him a doubting look before returning his concentration to the road.
"Delilah was a fantasy; we both knew it. I wasn't under any illusions that she wasn't using me, Zeke. But I used her too. I wanted to be popular, to be admired..." Casey quirked a smile. "To not be rammed into the flagpole."
Zeke laughed. "Such lofty goals."
"Yeah, shut up." Casey threw him a look but resisted the urge to thwap him — at least as long as he was driving.
"If you knew, why'd you agree to the bet?"
"What, and lose a chance to be seduced by the great Zeke Tyler? I may see aliens, but I'm not crazy."
They shared a laugh at that, somewhat amazed that they *could* laugh about it. Casey moved as close to Zeke as the seatbelt would allow and leaned over to lay his head on Zeke's shoulder.
"So do I get my prize? For winning the bet?"
"I'm not so sure you won after all, Casey. I'm beginning to think you set me up. Here I thought poor little Casey was being mistreated by the lovely but deadly Delilah. I had nightmares imagining you spread out helpless on her bed."
Casey snickered at that but didn't say a word.
"Now," Zeke continued, "I find out that all those rumors about your...skills..." Zeke looked over at Casey and quirked an eyebrow. "You're telling me that you're still a shy little virgin?"
Casey made a small noise and blushed crimson. It didn't really bother him, but he couldn't stop himself from blushing anyway.
"That's why I needed to win the bet." Casey insisted in his best falsetto, "I need Zeke Tyler, stud of Herrington High, to rescue me from my ignorance of the ways of the flesh."
"That's it," Zeke declared, "No more raiding your mommy's Harlequin romances for you."
Zeke pulled into his driveway and stopped the car, turning towards Casey with a serious expression. "We'll go inside and talk, Casey. Just talk. If we both decide we're ready, then...we'll see what happens. Agreed?"
Casey nodded. He climbed out of the car and looked up at the scattered white clouds and smiled.
*****
Casey looked at his watch. 8:43 on Monday evening. The evening of the best day of his life.
Zeke lay stretched out beside him, sleeping, expression serene. Faint beads of moisture still clung to his upper lip but Casey resisted the urge to lean over and lick them.
Shifting carefully, Casey found a more comfortable position. He knew he would be sore tomorrow, probably for the rest of the week, but it was worth it. He felt better than he'd ever imagined he could.
He shifted again and felt Zeke move towards him, strong arms drawing him close, comforting and warm.
The light of a full moon, blurred only by scattered clouds, slanted into the room but no one was awake to see it.
