I didn't expect Vanoss to start crying, nor did I have any idea what to do when he did. I was so focused on what he and Ohm were talking about that I didn't know what the guys were talking about until Basically explained it to Vanoss. I wanted to say that it was cute how much he cared for everyone, but for my own sake I went with admirable instead. We sat around for a bit longer while everyone took turns recalling experiences the gang had, and I sat and listened to every word. There were so many stories about the gang, and I was having fun getting to know everyone through them.

"Oh, boy remember when Nogla showed up with Lui?" Wildcat and Terroriser chuckled as Vanoss continued recalling the story. "That was really something man, Nogla just showed up with some twelve year old and told us that Lui was 'hardcore'. Already had a code name picked out for him and everything. Only time someone else invited a person to the group." Lui chuckled and Nogla smiled fondly. 

They can do that?

I guess so

You should invite me

Boom you're invited. Now be quiet I'm trying to listen

"Fuck, remember when we found Terroriser?" Moo glared daggers at Wildcat and Vanoss laughed and nodded. "Motherfucker was yelling at a cow that was in the road and then the cow just rammed into him at full force and sent his ass flying." We all had a good laugh at that one, except for Terroriser of course. 

"Remember that party we went to what was it, three months ago now? We all got drunk as fuck and Vanoss had to drive us home because none of us could walk straight." Basically grinned and decided to add on to Nogla's story. "He couldn't walk straight either! If you remember we ended up sleeping in the van on the side of the road." Vanoss chuckled and Nogla shook his head. "No, I really don't remember that." 

"You were still asleep by the time we dropped you off, is why. Vanoss had to drag your ass inside your house." Vanoss really did a lot for the group. It made me a bit sad that I didn't get to experience these things with them all. Maybe Vanoss wouldn't have had to do so much then. 

"Ok ok, last Halloween. We gotta tell Delirious about that one." Terroriser hummed and nodded at Ohm, then turned to face me. "Fucking Christ don't you even tell him." I glanced at Vanoss while some of the others snickered quietly. 

"So, every year for Halloween we have this tradition where we go around and scare kids so bad they drop their candy and run off screaming. It's worked like a charm every year. Last year, Basically and I took it a little too far-" "You made the kid think you killed his dog." "Shut up. So the kid started crying and Vanoss felt so bad for the kid and so agitated with us that he chased me around with the fake knife I pretended to kill the dog with and made the kid scream at the top of his tiny lungs. The dad came over and Vanoss dropped the knife and went to console the child but the dad picked up the knife and started chasing him." Terroriser started laughing and Vanoss looked very frustrated, which made me chuckle a little. I didn't get how the story was that funny.

"Best part is neither the dad or Vanoss knew the knife was fake until the dog stood up and started barking at them." That's how it was funny then. I snorted trying to hold in my laughter because Vanoss looked pissed and I didn't want to make that worse, but it was very funny. 

"So Vanoss had the intention to kill Terroriser and that dad had the intention to kill Vanoss?" Basically nodded and Terroriser sighed happily. 

"Let's go do something else now." Terroriser laughed at Vanoss, who stood up and picked up all the empty containers of snacks. He put them all in a bag while everyone else got up and stretched. "I'm not carrying these around everywhere, so we'll split off here and meet back up by that coffee shop on 3rd in half an hour. We're going as a gang so, wear your shit." Vanoss walked off after announcing that and everyone else slowly headed off. I walked back home and on the way got a message from an unknown number.

Hey it's Basically. None of us are wearing our masks but don't tell Vanoss. We feel like this is a good way to support him. You in?

I didn't know how to respond to the text. It was sweet of them, but I wore my mask for a different reason than all of them, I couldn't do that too. I made Basically's number into a contact and he sent another text.

Basically- If not, that's ok. Apparently Ohm's going to wear his anyways.

You should not do that

I might

Let me rephrase this, do not do that

I got to my house and opened the door. My mom came down the stairs a minute later while I was taking off my shoes.

"Hey sweetie. I know you're busy but I think we need to have a talk." My mom sat on the couch and patted the seat beside her. I nervously took a seat beside her and she took my mask off of me. She smiled at me and took a deep breath. "Now, you're not in any trouble, I just want to know what's going on. I got a call from the principle that you've been skipping your first two classes." I sighed, half relieved that was the topic she was talking about. "I've been reading up on that gang running around, and while I love you, I will be very disappointed in you if I find out you're in it." Never mind about the relief. Her expression darkened slightly and I realized she could see I was nervous.

"You're reading about them?" My mother nodded and grabbed my hands, squeezing them gently. "They got a new member recently. Please, tell me that's not you." I couldn't respond to her, and I think that was worse than me saying I was. She looked down and started crying quietly.

"They've killed people Jonny." 

So have I

"They're also wanted dead." My mother looked at me with such heartbroken eyes and I felt myself tear up from the look on her face. "They're so much more than criminals mom. They're kids. Their leader, Vanoss, he's willing to be put on death sentence so they can all go free and live normal lives. It's not as simple as them being heartless criminals." My mom squeezed my hands again and I let myself start crying. "I've only been around them for five days and I know so much about them already. They really care about each other." My mom took a deep breath and wiped the tears off my face. 

"Baby, if I asked you to leave them, would you?" I wanted to say yes. To make her life easier. But I couldn't do that, and both of us knew it. I shook my head and my mother hugged me like it was the last time she'd ever do it. I hugged her back just as tightly and she cried into my shoulder. 

"I'm allowed to leave whenever, and at the end of the week I'll most likely be forced to." My mom pulled away a bit and looked at me. "What do you mean?" I sniffled and smiled sadly.

"The police department got caught plotting to kill us. Vanoss is giving us a week to decide how we want to handle it. Our options are pretty much leave the gang, go to prison, or die. I'm pretty sure all three include Vanoss dying, but there's no way to know for sure." My mom covered her mouth and I started crying again. Of course the first kind person I met here was doomed to die within a week. 

You've pretty much said that already

Did I fucking ask you? Feel some sympathy man.

Until we're the ones dying, uhm, no.

"Baby, I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do?" I shrugged and wiped my tears away. "I don't think so." My mom hugged me again and I told her about how we were all going to have lunch soon, and what the others were going to do for Vanoss. She was in support of it and recommended I do it too, to show respect for him. I didn't think of it like that at first, and though I wanted to show my respect for Vanoss, I felt an insane amount of fear at the thought of walking around without my mask on. I opened Basically's contact again and replied to him.

Delirious- I would, but that is an insane step that I'm just not ready to take yet. 

Basically- That's fine. Why'd it take you 18 minutes to respond though?

Ah shit if I walked now I'd be late.

Run loser

Delirious- OH SHIT I'mma be late lost track of time

Basically- Dumbass

I apologized to my mother and told her I'd be late. She offered to take me and I quickly said no, hugged her, grabbed my mask and shoes, and left. I didn't want to show up with my mom, that would be so embarrassing. I ran to the coffee shop we were supposed to meet up at and saw everyone else already there. When I got there I stopped running and leaned against a telephone pole to catch my breath.

"Thought you said you'd be late dude, you're technically three minutes early." I looked at my phone and cheered victoriously. I immediately doubled over coughing and felt a hand pat my back.

"Fuck! I just ran, all the way from my house, to here. Non stop. I'm never doing that again oh my god." I heard a few of them laugh at me and I flipped them off. I noticed we were getting some weird looks from people across the street and flipped them off too. We were no longer getting weird looks. It was hard to catch my breath with the mask on, so I discreetly pulled it up over my mouth so I could breathe better. Basically didn't lie, the only other one who's face was covered was Ohm, and he had a grey bandana covering his mouth and nose. Not what I was expecting, but it was a good way to show respect and still hide his identity. I finished catching my breath and pulled my mask back down. I stood up normally and Vanoss came over to me.

"Of course I wish I knew what you look like, but I'm glad you're keeping yourself safe, unlike the rest of these idiots." They teased Vanoss a bit and we started walking to the restaurant, me and Vanoss in the back. I hummed at his comment and looked at him. 

"It's their way of showing you respect. They don't plan on backing down from this." I looked back at everyone else, watching them talk amongst each other. Wildcat and Mini were so close to each other they kept bumping hands, but nobody aside for me and Vanoss could see since they were close to the back as well.

"It's stupid. Appreciated, but stupid. There's no point in all of us being taken down. They could've gotten away without a hiccup if they didn't do this. Nobody knew what they looked like." I hummed again and shrugged.

"To me, we look like a group of teenagers hanging out downtown. Nothing suspicious about that." I glanced at Vanoss and saw him smile slightly, though that smile quickly disappeared for a more stoic expression. I looked out at the group again and sighed. "My mom knows I'm in the gang." I didn't look at Vanoss for his reaction, but I could tell he was looking at me. "She offered to drive me here. Maybe we could all hang out at my house for a night or two? I don't really know if that's a thing teenage boys do together, but I just figured it'd be fun."

"Yeah, of course we can Delirious." I looked at Vanoss and saw him smiling sadly at me. Why did everyone have to be so damn sad? I nodded slightly and looked back at the group. Moo led us into a restaurant and we got seated about twenty minutes later at a booth. For the first time since I got to the coffee shop, everyone was quiet. Until they finished reading the menu of course, but the minute of quiet was a good one. I decided to text my mom and ask if we could hang out there because I wanted to spend as much time with them as possible, and she agreed and asked what kind of pizza they like. I had no idea, so I told her the basic ones and said to hold off until I know if everyone can do it since they have families too. I didn't hear from her after that.

When the poor waitress assigned to us came over she was bombarded by Basically, Terroriser, Nogla, and Mini all trying to speak over each other. Vanoss told all of them to shut up after Wildcat joined in. He apologized to the waitress for them and made us all tell her our order one at a time. Ohm and I didn't order anything, since both of us had masks on. It was also kind of lame that the rest of us got punished because of those five but I wasn't about to speak out of turn. The waitress walked away and Vanoss cleared his throat.

"So, Delirious has invited us to spend a night or two at his house. I figured it was a nice gesture." Everyone looked at me and I leaned back in my seat. They all agreed and Nogla leaned across the table and whispered, "Genuine question, does your mother wear a mask too?" I laughed and Lui slapped Nogla's shoulder. "You can't just ask that!"

"No, she doesn't. I first got this for Halloween when I was like, 14. I'm pretty sure I tried making her go as Jason's mother but she wouldn't do it." Vanoss chuckled and I glanced over at him, seeing him staring at me. Strangely enough, seeing him look at me with such interest made me feel weird. I'd caught him doing it several times, I was pretty sure it was just because he wanted to know what I looked like, but part of me thought otherwise.

Ooh someone's got a crush

Shut the fuck up, I don't have a crush on Vanoss.

You can't lie to me Jonathan, I'm inside your brain

"Why do you wear the mask anyways?" Lui smacked Nogla harder and I looked at him. I was not prepared to answer that question. I decided to fuck with Nogla a bit.

"Crippling anxiety." Nogla snorted and everyone glared at him. "I'm fucking with you, relax. I'm just not answering that question." The others relaxed a bit and Nogla sighed. Basically looked at me like he was contemplating if I was serious or not. I was half serious. It was also because I was ugly.

Liar, it's because I told you to. It brings me comfort.

It's your mask, obviously I know it brings you comfort you autistic fuck

How even dare you

I can still stop wearing it

I'll kill us before you do that.

The food and drinks finally got there and Moo mumbled something about wanting to spike his drink. Terroriser shot him a glare for that. I didn't realize at the time but in hindsight I definitely looked at Vanoss more than the others, and I definitely kept eyeing his food. It looked so good and I was very jealous. Of Vanoss, of course. Because he had good food. I was also keeping an eye on Wildcat and Mini, because I was pretty sure whenever Mini laughed at something Wildcat stole a bit of his food. It was very funny to watch. 

Eventually everyone stopped eating and Vanoss walked off to talk to the waitress. I kept looking around the restaurant to find him and I guess Wildcat noticed.

"Dude, he'll be back. He's probably just going to get that chick's number. You'll be fine without him for a minute." I flipped off Wildcat without even looking at him and kept looking around for Vanoss. The idea of Vanoss getting her number annoyed me for some reason. Vanoss returned to the table a few minutes later and when he sat down he held his hand under his nose. He sniffled every now and again and when he eventually pulled his hand away it had quite a bit of blood on it. He quickly wiped it off and put his hand right back where it was, then looked around like nothing was wrong. He noticed me staring and leaned closer to me, whispering. "Don't worry, just a nose bleed." I didn't say anything, but his nose was clearly a little misshapen.

The waitress came over with a few boxes for us and Vanoss handed out all but one of them. We left the restaurant a bit later, and I suppose they decided they'd rather skip whatever else was planned and just hang out at my house. Ohm said he couldn't come with, so we all said goodbye to him outside the restaurant. He started crying when he hugged Wildcat, and it got worse when he hugged Vanoss. He walked off shortly after, and I made everyone go home to get a change of clothes or two. It was mostly so that I could clean up my room and make space for them in our house. I was lucky we had a spare bedroom. That could fit at least four of them. My room could fit me and three others if I cleaned more. The living room could fit all of them if they were to lay on top of each other. I giggled at the thought of that while cleaning my room. 

I definitely did not own enough blankets and pillows for all of them. There's 8 of them. Should've told them to bring their own shit. Luckily we had two blow up mattresses from before we had furniture. I put one in my room and one in the spare room. Everyone would be sharing a bed, or the couch. There was a knock on the door and by the time I got out of my room to answer it my mom had beat me to it.

"Hello there! You must be Vanoss, come in." My mom held the door open and Vanoss walked in. His nose looked normal again. Maybe it was just a nose bleed. Vanoss smiled at me and took his shoes off before walking over to me. He had a small bag, I assume it was his luggage.

I stood there for a minute just staring at him. I had no idea what to say. My mom closed the front door and patted my shoulder as she walked past.

"I'll leave you boys to it." My mom went upstairs and Vanoss raised his eyebrow at me, probably waiting for me to say something. I was very certain that anything I could say would be incredibly awkward, and I was not prepared to handle that.

"So, sleeping arrangements?" I felt my face heat up and chuckled. That would've been a very good way to start off instead of just staring at him for three minutes.

Yeah how awkward would that be?

Eat shit and die

"Well there's my room, spare room, and living room. Five places to sleep, four people in a room and then one in the living room." Vanoss nodded and hummed.

"Well Wildcat, Mini and I will probably share your room with you. The others can fight for the living room." I walked into my room and Vanoss followed.

"Hope you don't mind sharing a bed with someone." I sat on my bed and Vanoss looked between the two beds. He shrugged and set his bag next to my bed.

"First come first serve. You alright sharing a bed?" I nodded and Vanoss smiled. He looked around my room and I took off my mask. "You don't have as many things as I expected you would." Vanoss looked at me and paused. I watched many emotions cross his face for a minute before he grinned. I was nervous, but I trusted Vanoss to be kind, and I wanted him to see me for who I really was before it was too late.

"You look, uhm, wow." I smiled and Vanoss chuckled awkwardly. He looked so awestruck. There was another knock on the door and Vanoss stood up immediately. "I'll get it." Vanoss walked out of the room and I looked at my mask, considering leaving it off. It was nerve wracking, but I didn't want to wear it forever. I decided I'd have to take it off for bed anyways, so I stood up and walked over to the door. I then walked back, grabbed my mask and put it back on before continuing to leave the room.

Cough pussy cough

You don't cough you're just being an asshole

I entered the living room and saw Vanoss welcoming Nogla and Lui in. Vanoss looked back at me and looked a bit disappointed but Nogla and Lui greeted me ignorantly. 

"Dude I was so sure your house would be messy but it's cleaner than mine." I chuckled at Nogla  and Vanoss walked over.

"You want the couch or the spare bedroom? You have to share if you have the bedroom and you'll be all alone on the couch." Lui and Nogla looked at each other and Lui shrugged. The way they were acting you'd think they were a couple. They did do just about everything together, it would not have been a surprise.

"I don't mind the bedroom, I get nervous sleeping alone." Nogla agreed, saying that he didn't mind the bedroom because he didn't mind sleeping with a homie. I led the two to the spare bedroom and Nogla let Lui have the real bed.

"You two know you have to share the room with two of the others, right?" 

Nogla moved to Lui's bed.

Is every friend you make gay?

I consider you and I friends

Please don't

Basically arrived next and claimed the couch for himself after loudly proclaiming that Nogla snores too loud, and being denied sharing a room with Vanoss and I. Wildcat and Mini showed up next and Basically said Vanoss was picking favorites after finding out why he couldn't room with us. Next arrived Moo who said he'd kill Nogla if he had to room with him. Terroriser showed up before Moo and Nogla could stop fighting and Vanoss interrupted them.

"Look who's last again." Everyone's heads turned towards the two, including mine. Terroriser had the most pissed off look on his face I'd ever seen, and he sighed heavily.

"It's taking a lot out of me not to punch you in the fucken face." Vanoss laughed and wrapped his arm around Terroriser's shoulders, pulling him into the house and whispering something in his ear. Terroriser looked at Moo and nodded slightly and Vanoss let go of him, turning back around to close the front door. 

"Sucks for you Moo, Basically already called dibs on the couch. You and Terroriser are sharing with Lui and Nogla." Moo sighed angrily and Vanoss patted Terroriser on the back. I led Moo and Terroriser to the spare bedroom and watched them be awkward about sharing a bed. When we got back to the livingroom everyone had chosen their seat on or around the couch and they were fighting over what movie to watch. Vanoss looked at me and smiled, motioning for me to go over to him. I walked over and Vanoss moved his feet off the couch, patting the seat next to him. I walked over and sat next to him, feeling my cheeks heat up slightly at how close we were. Five people on a three person couch, I was almost sitting on him.

Cough gay Cough

Wow same joke in the same day, you're on a decline

"I've decided that Vanoss has favorites and sad to say it's the two who were here the least and most amount of time. All us middle guys just aren't good enough I suppose." I chuckled and Vanoss threw the remote at Basically, almost hitting him in the face. 

"First of all, Wildcat has been my best friend for basically our whole lives, so I don't want to hear it. Second of all, Delirious is simply better than most of you." I cackled as the others turned around and started bitching at Vanoss. Wildcat laughed with me and Vanoss held up his hands. "Sorry guys, but it is what it is." Vanoss put his hands back down and laid his arm across my shoulders. I blushed and leaned into Vanoss slightly. I noticed Wildcat and Moo staring at us and bit my lip, trying to calm myself with the knowledge they couldn't see my face.

If you two have sex I'm killing him.

We aren't going to have sex!

You say that now, but I know better

I sighed and looked at the screen, relaxing against Vanoss. Basically was still scrolling through movies, every now and again stopping at one only for someone to say no. I had fun listening to Wildcat yell at people for being picky and laughing at Wildcat with them. Basically picked some horror movie before anyone could complain about it. It wasn't a horror movie I'd ever seen before, but so far it was interesting. Some mom just burned on the ceiling in front of her baby so that was cool. 

"I just feel like she probably deserved to die, you know? No powerful being would go after her for the hell of it, right?" Moo and Terroriser disagreed with Nogla and it started some big debate. 

"Nobody deserves to die Nogla. Murderous ghosts attack normal people all the time in horror movies, why would she be different?" The movie switched to some college students celebrating how much of a nerd one of them was. The movie was surprisingly good, and ended with the college student's girlfriend dying the same way as his mom and him and his brother going off to find the demon or whatever it was to kill it. I was wondering if we'd see that thing again, it was a bit disappointing the main plot was about some ghost hitchhiker. It wasn't even really that scary. When the movie was on it's credits the option "next episode" showed up. 

"Wait- this is a show?" Everyone launched into debate about whether or not they wanted to continue watching. We ended up watching the next episode. Halfway through the fourth episode, the doorbell rang. We were all fairly invested by then so nobody wanted to get it, but since it was my house they argued that I get it. I stood up, ignoring the loss of warmth Vanoss gave, and went to the door. Apparently my mom already ordered the pizza. I assumed she paid online and just pulled a ten out of my wallet to give to the delivery guy as a tip. I brought the pizzas over to the kitchen counters and set them down, opening each of them. 

You shouldn't tell them

Why

It'd be funny. Just go in there with a slice and see who notices.

Vanoss. Vanoss would notice

Yeah but it's funny

I grabbed a slice of pizza and went back to the living room. Everyone was still playing close attention to the tv and I sat next to Vanoss without most of them noticing. Save for Wildcat and Vanoss, who were on each side of me and immediately noticed. I put my finger in front of my mouth in a shushing motion and pointed to the kitchen. They nodded and got up silently, going into the kitchen almost in sync. I decided I wasn't going to eat until everyone else got theirs, and I was going to take off my mask to eat, not just lift it or something. Lui and Moo, who were on the other side of the couch, looked over at me when Wildcat got up. I pointed to the kitchen and told them to be quiet, then pointed at the three on the floor. Lui grinned and Moo nodded and they waited for Wildcat and Vanoss to get back before they got up, getting off the couch from the side so they wouldn't be detected. They almost stepped on Mini who was on the floor on the side of the couch, but they kept him quiet by leading him to the pizza. We ended up getting through the rest of the episode before Basically stretched and turned his head enough to see Lui.

"WHERE'D YOU GET PIZZA?" Terroriser and Nogla whipped around and gawked at us while we laughed at them. Lui had gotten two and gave the one he hadn't started eating to Nogla. 

"It's in the kitchen, Delirious got it like forever ago." Terroriser and Basically got up and practically ran into the kitchen. I chuckled and watched them slowly file back in. They sat in front of the couch again and Basically turned around.

"Racist." Basically turned back around and Vanoss and Wildcat laughed at him. I hummed and took off my mask, setting it on my lap and eating my pizza. I stared at the tv so I could pretend everything was normal, but my heart was racing at the thought of them staring at me, judging me. It felt overwhelming, until I felt a hand on my back, rubbing circles into my back trying to calm me down. I looked at Vanoss and saw him smiling subtly, staring at the show and eating his pizza like he had no idea what he was doing. I sighed and went back to watching the tv. 

Hey, uh, they're looking at us

Who is? None of the guys we can see are looking at us

Yeah but the rest are

And how do you know that?

Well obviously they're looking.

I moved a bit closer to Vanoss once I finished my pizza and continued staring at the screen. I wasn't entirely sure what was happening, fight scenes are confusing, but at least they were winning. I heard footsteps behind us and glanced over my shoulder, seeing my mom walk down the stairs as quiet as she could. She waved at me and smiled. I watched her walk into the kitchen and come back out with three slices of pizza. She waved again and returned upstairs. My mom was amazing. Basically and Terroriser got up and went into the kitchen, and they came back with three of the pizza boxes. They set them on the floor in front of them and both grabbed a slice.

"Hey! I want one." Nogla grabbed a slice as well and fist bumped Terroriser. Lui leaned forward and tried to steal Nogla's pizza. Nogla grabbed another slice and handed it to Lui. Lui patted Nogla's head and leaned back, eating his pizza. Moo looked between Lui and Nogla and crossed his arms.

"No fair! I want one too." Moo hit Terroriser's head playfully and, after hitting him back, Terroriser gave him a slice.

"Simp." Terroriser smacked Basically and Moo patted Terroriser's head.

This is entertaining

Why do you think I'm watching?

You think they'll notice us?

Knowing my luck, yes

Can I do something?

Dear God what

Language, and I just wanna join in the fun

God is not a curse word

You're using it in vain, so yes it is

You're annoying

You love me

Happy to say I did not let him have control. I did spend the next hour trying to interrogate him into telling me what he'd do. I'd stopped paying attention to my surroundings, and when I refocused everyone's eyes were on me. Terroriser looked uncomfortable and I realized I'd been staring at him for however long it'd been.

Awkward

Word Count: 5326