“What the hell d--” Roy had little time to finish his sentence before he found his head clamped in Link’s arms, held tightly against his chest. Roy struggled to break free, but Link’s headlock held him firmly in place.
          “You love each-uh-thurrrr!!” Link squealed, laughing.
          “Link, I’m going to kill you…”
          “It was so cute!”
          “Seriously, Link!”
          “And that little eye-lock you had! D’awwwww!”
          “LINK. CASTRATION IN FIVE. FOUR.”
          “You love me too much to do that, of course. But then again you don’t love me as much as you do Marth!!”
          “LINK LET GO.”
         From the boy’s side came a light laugh. Link’s head turned to see Zelda, her bag swung over one shoulder, weight resting on her right leg. “Sure you’re not gay as well, Link? Wishing that you were Roy right now?” The blonde in question blinked and immediately cleared his throat, releasing his friend at the same time and standing up straight. Roy scowled, but his grimace quickly turned into a snicker at Link’s expense. Link was beet-red, his face directed at Zelda, but his eyes wandering somewhere else. The girl had a soft smile playing on her lips, silently laughing at Link as well.
         With that, the trio left the cafeteria, headed towards their respective classes.

          “I hate it when he makes us sit and take notes,” Link complained to Roy, who sat beside the blonde twiddling his pen idly during music class.
         Roy rolled his eyes and kept his head turned towards his teacher. “Not all of music is beating the shit out of a drum set, dork.”
         The pair sat and listened as Mr. Trebalti lectured his students about music history. Some students scrawled notes onto crumpled sheets of paper-- crumpled because the entire class knew that written tests were not particularly hard, so long as you paid attention.
         Roy could tell that his best friend was itching to get his hands on his cymbals again, as the boy held Roy’s two pens as drumsticks and tapped out a riff on his thigh. The redhead watched him, trying to identify which song the rhythm originated from, realizing soon after that it matched up with the soft melody that drifted from his own headphones resting around his neck. Previously, Roy had disregarded the sound of music pouring from his headphones if he had heard it at all. Roy joined Link is listening to the soft sound, tuning out Mr. Trebalti to the best of his ability.

          “Alright!” Mr. Trebalti bellowed suddenly, slamming his copy of “Music History for Dummies” shut; had anyone been sleeping, they certainly weren't now. “Everybody awake? You need to listen to what I’m about to tell you- your outline for the next assignment.”
         Link perked up, straightening his posture, visibly listening closely; music was the only class that Link actually enjoyed completing assignments in.
          “This time the objective is to learn to play in unison with a vocalist. It doesn’t matter who you get to sing- pick your mother for all I care- but make sure they’ve got some kind of rhythm. I’m telling you this for your own good; don’t choose someone who hasn’t even heard of a downbeat. You will choose a song to cover and create sheet music for all instruments. Vocal chords don’t count by the way. Your vocalist is your guest; our guest, so don't work them. Remember that, as a band, you are backing up your vocalist. You will provide them support. Marks will come from how similar the performance sounds to the original and, of course, your notation.”

         Mr. Trebalti gave a dismissive flick of his hand and the class exploded into linguistics, speaking to each other, organizing groups, and deciding on who to choose for their guest vocalist. Roy and Link already knew by default they would be paired up-- as always; the only discussing required was the matter of the vocalist.
          “What about Zelda?” Roy asked, watching Link’s furious pen-tapping.
          “Are you kidding? First, she’s not a vocalist and you know it. Second, it’s going to boil down to Marth anyway, so why not just go ask him already?”
         The redhead fell silent, dumbfounded by his friend. “And you’re… okay with that? Wouldn’t you prefer Sheik?”
          “Nah, Marth is new and I’ve never heard him sing before. I want to see how he meshes with us! Plus, I’d take Mr. Stoic over Sheik’s constant ‘Zelda this Zelda that’ teasing any day. And to top it all off, I get to see you blush like a school g--”
         Roy promptly threw his pencil case into Link’s face. In a deep, sarcastic voice, he ‘imitated’ Link, repeating him: “I want to hear him. Oh yeaaaah.” Roy laughed and Link sighed defeated.
          “I just can’t win with you,” the blonde shook his head. And went back to drumming on his thigh, returning to his usual slouched position.
          “So have you heard him before, then?” Link began, slowly, as to not interrupt his beat.
          “What, sing? Not yet. When would I have gotten a chance to?”
          “On one of your lovely romps home of course.”
          “Did the pencil case to the face really not deter you at all?”
          “Definitely not.”
          “I’ll ask Marth about the assignment during art class. I hope he’s still not… awkward like he was after lunch.”
          “Don’t worry. Just throw him a puppy face and his participation is guaranteed!”
          “Of course I will, Link.”
          “… seriously?” The blonde looked over at his friend and cocked his head.
         Roy’s eyes narrowed. “No, you idiot.”
         Roy and Link proceed to their respective corner of the classroom, where the drum set was set up and Roy’s guitar lay propped up against it. Link’s hands dove for his drumsticks and he immediately began tapping out the riff to The Stroke’s Reptilia.
          “I don’t have the electric guitar to do that one with. We still need to stay acoustic,” Roy said, raising his voice in order to be heard over the instrument. Upon hearing Roy’s opinion, Link switched to the drums in another song, quickly scrunching up his nose, deciding on his own that he would rather not perform something that was so easily drummed. Again, Link changed his riff to the fill in the middle of Wonderwall.
          “Oasis?” Roy questioned and Link nodded in time with his rhythm. “Easy enough.”
          “Think pretty boy can pull it off?”
          “I’m sure he can,” Roy fiddled with the strap of his guitar. “It’s a pretty easy song all around… but what about that rolling cello in the back?”
         Link ceased his movements, holding both drumsticks in one hand. “We can just lift that from the track and play it through the speakers or something,” the blonde answered, looking up at Roy for a approval to find the redhead staring blankly at the ceiling. “… what are you thinking about, Royskies?”
          “N-Nothing,” Roy said quickly, bringing his gaze back onto Link.
          “You stuttered!”
          “I didn’t. You’re imagining things.”
          “Are you didn’t have problem with me calling you Royskies like you usually do!”
          “H- what? I didn’t even hear you mention that name…”
          “What are you thinking about?”
          “…… do you think that Marth will agree to sing for us?”
          “Why wouldn’t he?”
          “What if I scared him off or something? Was I giving off boyfriend-vibes?” Roy frowned. “I hope he’s not thinking that I… like him or anything.”
          “Roy. Stop fussing or you’ll son find this drumstick in your eyeball. Just ask him like you normally would!”
          “Okay, okay. I’m just… worried.”
          “You’re his friend, so talk to him like a friend! Or potential boyfriend.”
         Roy lingered on the thought. Marth as a boyfriend wouldn’t be all that unusual for Roy, who had always viewed people as equal, and therefore never preferred one gender over the other. He never considered himself anything other than straight.
         Was that changing now? All because of one person? That sort of this only happened in storybooks and movies. Could the only reason he believed that he was only interested in girls be because it was ‘normal’? … but wouldn’t being in love with, and being loved in return by someone so opposite from yourself feel even more complete? And if that person just happened to be Marth…
         Roy reddened suddenly and turned away before Link could notice.

          “Alright people, five minutes to the bell. Start packing up. Blank music sheets are here on my desk, so take as many as you think you’ll need. See you all tomorrow.”
         Mr. Trebalti had successfully pulled Roy away from his thoughts, and the redhead put his guitar back in its place before turning to gather his belongings from his desk. Link quickly followed suit.
          “Showtime, Roy!” The blonde said with a grin. “Try not to faint from blood rushing to your cheeks so fast.”
         Roy rolled his eyes at Link’s comment, deciding not to reveal that Link’s statement could turn out to be very true. Roy slid the strap of his bag onto one shoulder just in time for the bell to ring; he and Link were among the last few people to leave. The pair parted at the staircase as usual, and Roy walked to his class with a nervous feeling stirring in the pit of his stomach.
         Once he entered his class, he had to force himself to remember where he was sitting- next to Marth instead of next to Pit like he had previously. He was relieved that the blue haired boy hadn’t arrived yet, and he took a seat to attempt to compose himself before Marth arrived. He held a deep breath for a while before exhaling, and hoped that Marth would talk to him like normal. Roy stretched his arms above his head and finally declared himself ready to survive the rest of the day. Roy watched the doorway to the classroom.
         Pit was the first to walk in after Roy, and he trudged over to Roy’s side.
          “Roy,” The brunette said upon reached the redhead’s desk. “I have a problem…”
         Roy raised one eyebrow. “It’s not another girl is it?”
          “No… it’s quite the opposite…”
          “… what?”
          “I came to you because I thought that you could help me. I mean, you’ve got experience with this, right?”
          “… Pit, what’s going on? I’m an expert on what?”
         The brunette flushed considerably. “Y-You know. Men.”
          “……… what?!”
          “Well I see you and Marth together… I mean… how did you do it?”
          “Do what?”
          “Get him to like you! There’s this guy in my gym class… and…”
         Roy was almost the same colour as his hair. He had stopped listening to Pit and held his hands up in defense. “Whoa. Whoa, whoa slow down. What exactly do you think Marth is to me?”
          “… isn’t he your boyfriend?”
          “Pit! No! I’m dating Lilina! A GIRL!”
          “But you just seem so close to Marth… and whenever you’re around him I can see you acting… moving… even speaking differently! That’s not friendship, Roy. You don’t talk like that to me. Or Link. Or Sheik, Matthew, Lance--”
          “OKAY, okay. Please stop.” Roy held his forehead in his hand, trying to circulate the blood away from his face. “I’m not going out with Marth, Pit. I don’t even like him. I’m not gay.”
          “… oh. But… really?”
         The redhead nodded, releasing his head from it’s rest and looking up at the brunette standing next to him. “Where did you even get that from?”
          “I just assumed…”
         Roy groaned and proceeded to lead Pit into thinking the right thing, explaining his relation with Marth- how they were friends and no more. Pit looked discouraged the more that Roy went into detail, now leaning against the desk and leaning in close to Roy in order to hear his lowered voice over the chatter of the class who was slowly pouring in.
          “… but with all that aside, Pit, I… guess I could still try to help you,”
          “Really?” Pit smiled and jerked his previously downcast eyes up to look into Roy’s happily.
          “Sure. I just didn’t want you to get the wrong idea, that’s all. I didn’t mean to sound negative,”
          “Great! Can I talk to you after school about it then? Do you mind?”
          “… actually I’m meeting Marth after school today to tag along with him…”
          “See what I mean! You’re practically dating him already.”
         Roy sighed heavily and promptly shooed Pit away to his own desk. He laid his head on his folded arms on the desk and closed his eyes briefly, listening in to the various conversations going on around the class. He heard the jangle of his teacher's many bracelets clanking together as she hurried into the room, coupled with the low screech of stools being moved around and scraped against the floor. He waited silently for Ms. Valyko to begin the lesson before an annoying coldness began creeping towards him, like he was sitting in front of the open door of a refrigerator. He opened his eyes to identify the source, and was greeted by the image of Marth, resting his head delicately on his hand, breathing smoothly, as calm and collected as ever.
         Roy sat up in his seat. “… when did you get here?” He said simply.
          “I followed Ms. Valyko in. Did you not notice I was here?”
         Roy shook his head. “Sorry… I had--”
          “Your eyes closed, yes. I thought you were asleep and didn’t want to wake you,”
         Roy didn’t answer. He could feel an awkward silence beginning to settle in, which bothered him, but he couldn’t find the strength to speak. It took him a minute or so to gather the will to speak to Marth again.
          “Marth, do you mind if I ask you something?”
         The bluenette angled his head to look at Roy. “What is it?”
          “Link and I have a new music project that we were just assigned and I wanted to ask for your help.”
         Marth cocked his head slightly. “I’m not very musically inclined, Roy…”
         In reply, Roy shook his head. “We need a singer,”
          “… why me?”
         Roy was taken aback and disheartened. He had wanted Marth to be their vocalist simply because he was the only person in the school that he knew was good enough to fill the position. But in addition, Roy knew that he wanted to spend time with Marth. He wanted to learn more about the boy, he wanted to trust him and be trusted in return. And he didn’t want it to be anyone else.
          “We just… want it to be you. Please?”
         Marth sighed softly and shrugged. “Alright. I’ll do it.”
         Relief washed over Roy  at the bluenette’s agreement. He smiled over at the boy, their art teacher still droning on in the back of his mind. He felt happy knowing that he had taken a step towards becoming closer to Marth.
The redhead suddenly realized that his classmates were shuffling around him. Marth did as well, apparently, as his eyes were darting around confusedly. The pair stood, following the line of students that now filed around the largest table in the room, where, upon inspection, rested the class’ art projects.
          “Guess we’re continuing these, huh?” Roy said quietly, watching as Marth leaned to reach across the table to retrieve their piece.
          “Thank we’ll finish by the end of the period?” Marth shrugged once he had straightened out again, art piece in hand. He began pacing to the storage room to gather supplies.
          “I guess we can get together over the weekend if need be,” The taller boy said, scanning shelf upon shelf for what he needed.
          “Right… hey, Marth?”
          “Mhm?”
          “… at lunch, what happened? You left so quickly and suddenly. Did I do something wrong?”
         Marth’s hand stilled from it’s rummaging through the depths of the various bottles and jars of paint and he peered at Roy from over his outstretched arm. His eyes were wider than when he was relaxed, lips parted slightly in shock.
         Roy cocked his head.
          “No. That was a mistake on my part, understand? I apologize for it. You could never do anything wrong to me,” Marth placed his hand on Roy’s shoulder briefly before brushing past the younger boy, leaving the cramped, walk-in-closet type room to go back to their table.