BUGBOY | DORBYN [DISCONT.]

04

"hey, besson."

corbyn's head snapped, fearing the worst until finding it was only his biology partner. he greeted daniel with a small nod of his head, seeing as he matched up with corbyn's pace.

"how are you?"

"good."

"mind if i walk with you?"

corbyn shook his head. you'll get bored, i wouldn't waste my time on me, but do as you wish.

"do you live nearby? i thought you used to take the bus."

"moved."

corbyn was lying straight past his teeth. he stopped taking the bus when he found out his bullies were on the same route. of course, being singled off on a bus wasn't the best, especially when half the bus couldn't care that you're alive at that moment.

they didn't care when he was picked on. nobody really did. they'd probably laugh along, if anything.

"cool..." daniel knew it would be hard for corbyn to open up, that was clear now, but christ, give me something to bounce off of.

"what's your favourite—?"

"i'll do the project on my own, if that's what you wanted to ask. it's no big deal, really."

corbyn was quick to realize he cut daniel off, embarrassment blooming in his veins as he kept his head focused on his beat-up shoes.

"what makes you think i wouldn't help?" daniel's face was of offence, irritation found easily. nobody else would.

"uh— nothing! no, it's cool, we can do it. i just... it doesn't happen often." corbyn was falling over his words, tongue seeming useless in his mouth as his hands gripped his backpack straps tighter. look what you did, stupid. he's got it in mind to clobber you upside the head.

"whoever bails on a group project is an ass, i plan not to be one, f-y-i... have any ideas on what to do?"

we could do it on bugs, he said, only to himself, locked up in his mind. to the outer world, corbyn only shook his head for a 'no'.

"what's an easy ecosystem we could study?" which, corbyn didn't respond to. he couldn't tell if it was rhetorical or not.

and that was when corbyn turned, having already walked to the destination. daniel met him halfway through his travels, and now stood across from him upon seeing how corbyn was heading up a walkway.

no way would corbyn lead daniel to his own house, that would be stupid, but even leading him to the insectarium seemed stupid. there wasn't much of an escape.

ivory insectarium, huh.

"oh yeah! you know stuff about bugs, right?"

corbyn was surprised daniel had forgot about that, considering how corbyn was often addressed as 'bugboy' to anybody other than the teachers.

he nodded nonetheless.

"we can do it on that! right? i mean, only if it's cool with you."

"i don't mind, no. uhm, when do we start?" his hand reached up to the back of his neck, feeling suddenly exposed to daniel. it didn't make much sense, though, corbyn was clad in straight jeans and a baggy grey sweatshirt, leaving quite a lot to the imagination.

"i'm busy tomorrow afternoon, but, how about saturday or sunday? you free then?"

corbyn took a moment to ponder as if he actually had people to do things with. he shook his head for the umpteenth time that afternoon, and waved daniel off.

corbyn went into the building through the front, smiling courteously at his mother's coworker and heading into the back before it truly registered what he was going to do.

holy shit.

daniel seavey just asked if we could hangout.

and i said yes.

EXTRA NOTES
uhm if i don't post for the rest of the week i have like 4 tests aha 🥴 (sorry 😔)
n e ways i shouldn't be posting this technically cause by rights i should plan these out so y'all don't get bored of me 😻

oh well ig
anyways ilyg and i apologize if i'm ever annoying here cause i can't rlly message anybody but yeah just ignore it if it happens😌🤚
here's a summary of me atm😽