School always seemed endless once he reached his last class of the day. The boy's stomach had a slight grumble and everything thing moved lullingly until he was half asleep.

Then he was woken by the bell, it's terrifying enough to make the boy not want to ever take night classes again, that was for sure. Mumbo was a student at West Chester High school, an American institution he was transferred to when his family moved.

They had a thing called night classes which he thought was a good idea. He never had to wake up at the crack of dawn by an annoyingly alarming timer so, that was a bonus.

Packing up his notebooks into his bags other students doing the same, there was a quiet hum of gossip to go along with it. Mumbo usually didn't indulge in this behavior, being too bored of all things school, and a little to mature if he could say so himself, to actually comment on a matter that wasn't his own.

It wasn't until a certain name got his attention that he turned to the two boys behind him. He's only ever talked to them once before but they did smile and wave at each other in the halls.

Mumbo hoped that was enough to be able to talk to them.

"Did you just say Grian?" Mumbo asked turning around to meet the shifting eyes of Ren and Scar.

"Yeah, you know the kid?" Scar asked trying to read Mumbo's calculated stare.

Mumbo coughed a bluff before answering. "No, I've just-uh, I've been hearing that name a lot lately, what's the deal with the kid anyway?"

Mumbo tried to act like he didn't care too much but he was actually curious. He's heard a range of ridiculous things floating around but one rumor in particular is what had his attention.

"We are not at liberty to confirm or deny any information about the client but-." Ren is cut off by Scar elbowing him in the shoulder.

"You're literally so stupid, half the school knows and Grian said he doesn't care, just tell him the truth." Scar challenged with an amused shake of his head and then continued organizing the papers on his desk.

"Fine but if he gets mad that I told him, We all have to agree that it's your fault Scar," when Scar waves him off  Ren rolled his eyes and turns back to Mumbo

Grian is a student in high school and there are rumors going around that he recently came out, Grian's been out for all his years in the sixth form or high school. It's only now that someone decided to ask him directly that he confirmed it.

"Somehow he is the only out gay boy in the school, he's kissed and hung out with lots of boys but they never ended up reciprocating those feelings," Ren added matter of factly.

Mumbo went red with the newfound information. He himself was suffering the same thing.

He often felt that it was only a matter of time before he would have the same thing happen to him. He decided a long time ago that he would not deny it if anyone asked.

"Most were just as a dare or a "one-time thing," Ren confirmed and Scar rolled his eyes this time.

"Maybe you want to keep your voice down a bit, I'm gonna go hand this in now." Scar wheels away to put his assignment on the teacher's desk and to get away from Ren's gossiping habit.

Although Grian and Mumbo weren't known to each other and Mumbo wasn't completely sure that they had a single thing in common besides their sexualities, he thought it would be a lovely idea to befriend the kid.

Not expecting anything to happen besides gaining a new friend and Grian, an ally.

"As his best friends, I feel like that was way too much information to give out. Maybe don't tell anyone else that information. I can see why Grian would be mad."

"It was Scars fault," Ren said pointing to the boy who was now wheeling away.

Scar stopped just before he was about to exit the classroom. "I did not tell you to go into that much detail." And he was gone.

"You're the quiet kid, you won't say anything will you." Ren pleads clasping his hand together and holding them out in front of himself.

Mumbo simply stares at the boy who was practically crumbling with guilt.

"I promise that I haven't told anyone else nearly as much, I guess I just thought I could trust you, I'm sorry." Ren was red with guilt and Mumbo felt bad for the lad.

"Don't apologize to me, tell Grian what happened, I'm sure he won't crucify you." Mumbo gave the boy a polite smile before packing up and heading home for the evening.

...

Almost an entire month later Mumbo was walking home from another long and tiring school day and thinking about his face hitting a pillow.

Since the gossip mishap, Ren and Scar have begun to invite Mumbo to hang out outside of school and there was no more discussion of Grian's personal business.

Mumbo had yet to even meet the famous Grian, sure he's been at said hangouts but he could never muster up enough courage to get Scar nor Ren to point him out.

Mumbo begins the journey down the hill that the school was built on and to one of two bus stops that would take him home.

"Hey, wait up." Mumbo turns to see a short kid with messy blonde hair and a red sweater that he hasn't seemed to grow into.

"Can I help you?" Mumbo's eyes scan over the silhouette of the boy creating a dynamic print against to blazing sun.

It was getting warmer but it wasn't that warm out, hence the sweater that the boy seemed to be drowning in.

"I'm Grian... you're Mumbo, correct?" Grian continues walking being the one to look back at Mumbo this time.

Mumbo accepts his presence and strides to his pace. Grian had to look up a bit and the sun would hit his eyes when he did.

"We should switch sides, you don't seem to be doing too well." Mumbo chuckled at the sight of Grian getting shy.

"Here." Mumbo walked around so he was shielding the smaller boy from the sun's rays.

"I'm assuming Ren told you about what he's told me." Grian simply nods at Mumbo's guessing and it puts things into perspective.

"You're quieter then I thought," Mumbo says and Grian looks away.

"Yeah, I'm not too good with strangers." There was a hint of sarcasm to Grian's voice that made Mumbo think he was getting through to him, past strangers territory.

I might have been right about Grian not wanting that information to be shared.

"Do you care?" Mumbo asked, "huh?" Grian looked up from the sidewalk.

"Not about much, not really, no." Grian answered smirking up at the tallboy.

Mumbo thinks that this is just Grian's way of being closed off and protecting himself so he decides to play along. 

Mumbo is temporarily blinded by the cocky smirk that flashes as brightly as the rays he's blocking and the clumsy boy ends up tripping.

"Who doesn't seem to be doing too well now," Grian says grabbing onto the boy before he could tip completely forward.

Mumbo thanks the boy and chooses to ignore his stupidly adorable smirk this time. A better advised plan this time around.

"So, is there a reason you're following me home?" Mumbo jokes.

"Wow, slow your roll hotshot, I'm headed to the same bus stop as you. I thought I was the bold one." Grian laughs a hearty laugh and Mumbo feels like disappearing.

Mumbo would never admit that he found Grians's cockyness amusing but that doesn't mean that Grian would never know.

"Don't act like you hate me, cause you can't," Mumbo shoots back. Grian was taken aback not expecting the truly shyer boy to have a reply to his suggestive comment.

"You're right, would you want to go out sometime?" Grian slows to a stop and Mumbo faces him after doing the same.

Mumbo's calculated stare causes Grian to become unsure of himself. Grian is stunned himself and he was about to say something else like, "Forget I asked", or "nevermind" but Mumbo grabs him by the hand he lifts to wave his question off and tells him to ask nicely.

"Try it again," and he does. Mumbo then nods his head agreeing and they continue to the bus stop in silence, both blushing and fidgety but equally as happy.

This is an easy one shot before part 2 of 'Romeo and Julien' b/c that one is gonna require a bit of research (seeing as I don't know much about the original story).

As usual, comment on any errors I might have made, don't forget to vote and follow me if you haven't already. XD