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“The Ball, I'd like you to meet my friend, Tillyhopper.”
Riz looked away from his locker to Fabian, who was grinning broadly. Tucked behind him was a gnome girl shyly peeking behind his legs. She fiddled with her long blonde hair while stealing glances at Riz.
“Oh, hey Tillyhopper, nice to meet you.” He turned back to his locker and continued to rummage for his math book.
“Y- you can c-call me Tilly,” she stammered.
“Ok.” He didn't look away from his locker, determined to find his book, but it just wasn't appearing.
“She's a sophomore, like us.” Riz's ears twitched, swiveling backwards towards Fabian's voice.
“... Really?” He turned around abruptly. “Tilly-”
She tittered coquettishly at her name, but Riz paid it no mind. “Are you also taking Advanced Arcano-math by any chance?”
“H-huh? Oh, I'm, yeah. I have it in the mornings.”
“So you've already been to class today? Excellent! Do you think I could borrow your math book? Fabian's not in the advanced class so I can't borrow from him.”
“The Ball!”
“What, was that a secret or something? Sorry.”
“No, but-!”
“It's fine!” blurted out Tilly, rummaging through her bag. “Y-you can borrow it!” She passed the thick tome over to Riz.
“Thanks! I'll make sure Fabian returns it to you by the end of the day! Thanks again, Tilly!”
He slammed his locker shut and ducked away from the other two, hurrying off to class.
“Oh…” he said quietly, realization dawning on him as he slowed down. He turned back around and waved at the two. “You'd better hurry up or you'll be late to class!” With that he booked it down the hall.
“The Ball!” Fabian jogged up to Riz who was sitting beneath a tree, reading a book during lunch.
Riz looked up and smiled. “Oh, Fabian, how’s it going?”
“Great, great. Say, have you met Alyx?” Fabian stepped aside to reveal a pink tiefling with long horns that curled down past their ears, gold chains dangling from them. “They’re big into detective films and escape rooms!”
“Hey,” said Alyx, giving Riz a little wave.
“Oh, that’s cool,” said Riz, glancing back at his book. He was at a really good part and was having a hard time not being rude.
“Alyx, tell Riz what your favorite movie is!”
Riz inwardly groaned; he wasn’t going to get to read during lunch, was he?
“Well, I don’t know if you’re familiar with it – it’s pretty obscure – but it’s this old film called ‘Dressed to Kill.’ Have you heard of it?”
“Hm? Oh, yeah, it’s an old Sherlock Holmes mystery – also known as ‘Prelude to Murder’ – and combines elements of Doyle’s short stories ‘The Adventure of the Six Napoleons’ and ‘A Scandal in Bohemia.’”
Alyx’s face lit up. “Ohmygosh, someone actually knows about it! What do you think about it?? I know it’s no one else’s favorite, but I’m always on the edge of my seat when Holmes has to escape the room with the poison gas!”
Riz struggled to not act disinterested and scratched his head as he thought about what he could say. “Oh, well, I mean, I thought it was ok… I only saw it once, and I thought that Morison did a good job as Courtney, but… I mean, honestly, it wasn’t my cup of tea.”
They shrank back a little, but with the gentle nudging of Fabian, pressed on. “Oh… Well… that’s alright! Like I said, it’s pretty ‘out there’ as a favorite,” they chuckled. “What’s your favorite movie?”
Riz stifled a growl. Talking movies was nice and all, but he was busy with his book. Blessedly, the buzzer rang to signal the end of lunch and, literally saved by the bell, Riz hopped up from where he was sitting and dusted off his pants.
“Well, it was nice meeting you, Alyx, but I’ve got to get to class.” He rushed off, finger bookmarking his place. With any luck he could hide during rogue class and finish off his book in silence. He didn’t turn around to see Fabian give Alyx a consoling pat on the back.
“The Ball! How’s it going?”
“Oh, really good, Fabian! I just-”
“Cool, cool,” cut in Fabian, not listening at all. “Hey, I’d like you to meet Kolruk. He’s a sorcerer!”
Riz flicked his ears in irritation, but his parents raised him to be polite, so he turned to the newcomer, a half-orc who towered over both of them. “Oh, hey Kolruk.” He turned back to Fabian. “Anyway, Fabian, I was-”
“Hey, I heard that you got some wicked tattoos over spring break! Can I see?”
“Um… No.”
“Come on, just a peek? Fabian said you’re tatted all over!”
Riz glared at his best friend, and then turned back to Kolruk. “Sorry, but I’m not some walking art show for people to stare at!”
Fabian winced at Riz’s words, and he and Kolruk watched as the goblin stormed off, tail thrashing.
“Hey Fabian, ready to pair up for exercises today?” It was gym class, and Riz hustled over to Fabian, who was talking to an unfamiliar firbolg student. Riz and Fabian always did their exercises together at the start of class, and today he wasn’t expecting anything different.
“Oh, The Ball! Sorry, but Gorgug’s partner is out today so I was going to lend him a hand. I was just asking my friend Fitz here if he could work with you, and he’s excited to be your partner!”
Riz’s ears drooped. “Oh… Oh yeah, sure. That’s… fine.”
“Great! See you later. Have fun getting to know Fitz!”
“Yeah…” He looked up at the tall young man who was all smiles.
“Hey, Riz. Nice to meet you,” he greeted, offering Riz his hand.
“Nice to meet you, too,” mumbled Riz, who had been looking forward to updating Fabian on his latest case while stretching. He shook his hand all the same. “Well, let’s get to it.”
“So, I heard you’re a licensed private eye! That’s really cool!” said Fitz as they got into position for sit-ups, with Fitz holding Riz’s legs.
“Yeah…” said Riz, his heart not into the conversation. He kept glancing over at Fabian, wishing he could tell him about his case. Fitz wouldn’t get it, but Fabian knew the nuances of the case already.
They switched positions, Riz (uselessly) holding down Fitz’s legs as he did his sit-ups.
“Are you free after school? Maybe we can go hang out at Basrar’s and you can tell me about what you’re working on?”
Riz frowned. That was what he’d usually do with Fabian. “Uh…”
“Oh, if you’re busy today, maybe another time, then,” Fitz said quickly, picking up on Riz’s hesitation.
“Y-yeah, that’d be better. Some other time,” said Riz distantly. They continued their exercises in silence until Gorthalax blew his whistle for everyone to gather together. Today was gashbat, and Gorthalax selected team captains. Fabian was one, of course, and Fitz was selected as the second. Riz patiently waited for Fabian to call on him, but to his surprise, Fitz called him instead, giving him a little wink. Perplexed, Riz walked over to the firbolg’s side, casting a confused glance at Fabian who simply flashed him a thumbs-up. Fabian always picked him. Maybe not as the first pick, but they were best friends, so why…?
Throughout practice, Fitz kept giving Riz lots of encouragement. “Good hustle, Riz! Way to throw that ball! Eye on the ball, Riz, you’ve got this!” It worried him to get all the extra attention, and soon he was self-conscious and fumbling even the most basic plays. As they returned to the dugout after the end of an inning, Riz mumbled an apology to Fitz for missing a ground ball that was aimed right at him.
“Hey, no, it’s alright, Riz! You’re doing great!”
“Fitz, I’m terrible at sports, everyone here can tell that. Why did you pick me for your team?”
Fitz flicked his ears and glanced away. “Because you’re cool and I was hoping I could talk to you more.”
Riz blinked rapidly. Him? Cool? In what world? Did Fitz not know that Riz still had business cards that he handed out? What ‘cool’ teenager did that? Speaking of which… “I never gave you my business card, did I?” he blurted out. “Here, I always keep a couple in my back pocket…” he passed Fitz a crumpled business card. “Sorry, it’s a little beat-up, but if you ever need a mystery solved, give me a call.”
Was Fitz… blushing? It was hard to tell beneath the fur.
“Thankyousomuch!” he jabbered, taking the card with a shaky hand.
“You’re… welcome?” No one was ever excited to get his card before, and it lowkey weirded him out.
“You know, if you’d like I can practice tossing the ball to you,” offered Fitz, giving Riz a stare he could only describe as ‘intense.’ Riz backed away a step, intimidated.
“Um, thanks, but I’ll pass. I’m really not a sports guy.”
Fitz tilted his head, his features softening into those of a sad puppy dog that Riz may as well have kicked.
“It’s just tossing a ball, Riz. I could even lob ground balls to you.”
Riz took another step back, raising his hands defensively. “Really, it’s nice of you to offer, but I just don’t want to!” He turned and scurried away, blending into the shadows to hide. He watched from his hiding place as Fitz scratched his head in confusion, looking around for the rogue, but couldn’t find him anywhere.
Riz sat the rest of the class out, slinking off to the library for some much-needed solitude.
“The Ball, got space for one more?” called Fabian across the cafeteria.
Riz waved for him to come over. “Sure thing, I saved a space for-”
But Fabian wasn’t alone. Next to him was a kobold wearing thick, black glasses – the lenses practically an inch thick – and a red vest and high-wasited jeans.
Fabian guided the kobold into the seat next to Riz. “Excellent! My friend Percy was looking for a place to eat. Thanks so much, The Ball. I’ll catch you later.”
“But what about y-” Riz began, but Fabian was already gone.
“Hey,” said Percy, adjusting his glasses.
“Uh… hey, Percy. …How’s it going?”
“Oh, I can’t complain. I just got my third new-in-box figure of Micha in Brownie Form from Mucha Micha Mega ☆ MAGE and I’m looking forward to dressing her up tonight. Have you seen the anime?”
“Mucho Macho Micha Max?” mumbled Riz.
“No, no, that’s the bootleg spin-off OVA made in the Baronies. It’s funny, sure, but it doesn't count in the canon.”
“Oh… of course… Silly me.”
“No, see, Mucha Micha is about a high school elf who-”
“Excuse me, but I just remembered that I need to talk to Gilear… about… yogurt,” lied Riz, sliding off the picnic table bench and grabbing his lunch bag. “Nice talking, Percy! Good luck with your figure!”
He hurried out of the cafeteria, searching for Fabian, and found him chatting with a Modron by the artificer classroom.
“Fabian!”
Fabian gave a dazzling smile. “The Ball! How’d it go with Percy?”
“It… went.”
The smile turned into a fleeting frown, but then flipped right back to his usual grin. “That’s a shame. Well, have you met Unit?”
Riz gritted his teeth and turned to the mechanical person standing next to Fabian.
“Hi Unit, nice to meet you,” he said through his rictus smile, “But excuse me, I need to talk with my best friend here!”
Fabian winked at Unit and let Riz lead him away across the hallway.
“What’s up, The Ball? Was Percy too much?”
“...What do you mean by that?”
“Was Percy not your type? I’m trying to get a feel for who you might like. I should avoid the anime nerds, I take it?”
Bewildered, Riz looked Fabian up and down to see if there was any give in his expression, any hint that this was an elaborate joke, but he saw nothing but honesty on his friend’s face.
“What… are you talking about? ‘Not my type?’” The gears turned in Riz’s head and he gasped. “Are… Are you trying to set me up on a date!?”
“Yeah! Since you and Baron broke up-” (Riz winced at the name as the memories of cracked mirrors, cold, porcelain hands, and the haunting lilt of Baron’s voice came floating back) “-I figured the best thing to do is to get you back in the game.”
“Fabian, didn’t you hear me back in the forest? I made Baron up, he’s some demon that was born of my lies.”
Fabian’s face scrunched up in confusion. “What… really?”
“Yeah. I… I was having a sexuality crisis back then when I said I was dating him. It… it was all a lie. I’m actually…” He took a deep breath, looking away from his best friend’s face to work up the courage to say the next words. “Actually, I’m asexual and aromantic.”
“A…sexual… and aro…”
“-mantic,” finished Riz. “It means that I’m not interested in sexual or romantic relationships.”
“You’re serious? You’re not just saying this because you don’t like the people I tried to set you up with?
Riz nodded, still not looking Fabian in the eye.
“The Ball! Why didn’t you tell me? I thought I was your best friend!”
Riz jerked his head back up. “I’m sorry, Fabian, but I have- I haven’t even told my mom yet. You’re… the first.”
Fabian paused. “I am? Oh… Um, thank you…”
“I’m not really ‘out’ yet, so please don’t bring it up to other people.”
“Yeah, ok, I get it. …Thank you for telling me, though.”
Riz glanced over at Unit, waiting patiently by the classroom. He waved enthusiastically and chirped at him and Riz gave a curt wave back. He turned back to Fabian.
“Now could you please go over and let him know it’s nothing personal but I’m not in the mood to date?”
Fabian smiled warmly at his friend. “Sure thing, The Ball. And I’ll stop trying to hook you up with various students.”
“Good, because I miss my lunch partner.”
As Fabian walked over to Unit to gently let him down, Riz felt himself relax a little; it wasn’t that bad, letting someone in on his secret. It didn’t mean he was going to go all out and tell everyone about this right now, but… maybe he’d find a flag pin and put it on his briefcase. Maybe. Someday.