Chapter 1: An extra hash brown
Chapter Text
It was 6:00 a.m., and a beat-up red 2000’s Chevy Silverado sat idling in front of Jeffery’s house. Its horn blared once, then again, growing louder and longer with each passing minute.
Inside, Jeffery groaned and rolled out of bed, shoving his glasses onto his face and grabbing his backpack which was one of those oversized rolling ones that squeaked with every movement behind him. He shuffled out the door, squinting at the early morning light.
“Finally! I thought you died or some shit” Armando yelled from the driver’s seat, one hand lazily draped over the wheel. “What the hell took you so long?”
Jeffery rolled his eyes as he approached the truck. “Erm actually for your information, it’s only 6:30. School doesn’t start for another hour and a half.” (I could help it I had to☝🏼🤓)
Armando grinned, leaning over to pop open the passenger door. “Yeah, I know that, idiot. But I figured you could use a little break before school starts. It’s been a rough week, hasn’t it?
Jeffery hesitated before climbing in. It had been a rough week, just like every other week, but hearing Armando say it aloud made it feel less suffocating like maybe someone noticed.
The truck rumbled to life as they pulled onto the road. Armando drove with one hand loosely draped over the wheel, the other absentmindedly fiddling with the radio until static gave way to the low, raspy vocals of some local indie rock band. Jeffery leaned his head against the cool glass of the window, his gaze flicking toward Armando when he thought he wouldn’t notice.
The way Armando looked in the dim morning light—relaxed, confident, and completely unbothered—stirred something in Jeffery that he didn’t quite know how to name. His heart fluttered in a way that felt dangerous like he was standing too close to the edge of something he wasn’t ready to face.
“You hungry?” Armando asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
Jeffery blinked, caught off guard. “What?”
Armando grinned, pulling into the McDonald’s drive-thru. “Breakfast is on me. Don’t argue.”
Jeffery sighed but couldn’t stop the faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “You didn’t have to”
“Shut up JJ,” Armando smirked, shooting him a sidelong glance. “Just let me spoil you for once.”
Spoil him? Jeffery’s stomach did a nervous flip. He told himself Armando was just being nice—that this was what friends did. But the way Armando’s grin lingered as he handed over the bag of food made it hard to convince himself it was *only* that.
“Thanks,” Jeffery murmured, clutching the warm sandwich in his hands.
“Don’t mention it” Armando said casually, but his eyes softened for just a moment before turning back to the road.
They ate in the truck, parked in the corner of the lot where the world felt quiet and still. Jeffery stared out the window as the first rays of sunlight kissed the horizon, feeling the weight of Armando’s presence beside him.
“You good?” Armando asked, his voice low and a little hesitant.
Jeffery glanced over, his chest tightening at the concern etched into Armando’s face. “Yeah, just... thinking.”
“About what?” Armando pressed, leaning closer, his elbow resting on the console between them.
Jeffery swallowed hard, his voice barely above a whisper. “School. How it sucks. How it always sucks.”
Armando chuckled softly, the sound warm and disarming. “Well, yeah. School sucks. But hey...” He bumped Jeffery’s shoulder lightly. “At least you’ve got me, right?”
Jeffery looked at him, his defenses crumbling under Armando’s steady gaze. “Yeah. I guess I do.”
“Damn right, you do.” Armando grinned, but it softened into something more serious as his eyes lingered on Jeffery for a second too long. “You’re not alone, okay?”
For a moment, Jeffery’s breath hitched. The space between them felt smaller like the air had shifted into something heavier, more electric. He thought about saying something, about closing that gap, but the words wouldn’t come.
“Thanks” Jeffery mumbled again, his voice barely audible.
Armando smiled the kind that made Jeffery’s chest ache in a way he didn’t understand. “Anytime.”
As the truck pulled back onto the road, Jeffery sat a little closer, letting the warmth of Armando’s presence chase away the lingering shadows of doubt. For now, this felt like enough.
Chapter 2: Almost there
Summary:
Armando and Jeffery yapping in the car in there way too school
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The drive to school felt shorter than usual. Maybe it was the warmth of the breakfast still sitting in Jeffery’s stomach, or maybe it was the way Armando kept glancing at him between songs, like he wanted to say something but didn’t know how.
Jeffery didn’t push. He wasn’t great at talking either.
They passed familiar streets, the morning light filtering through the windshield. The low hum of the engine filled the space between them, but it wasn’t enough to drown out the tension hanging in the air.
“I could just kidnap you,” Armando said suddenly, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel.
Jeffery snorted, turning his head to look at him. “That’s your master plan? Throw me in the back of your truck and drive off into the sunset?”
Armando grinned, but there was something unreadable in his expression. “Something like that.”
The words lingered, lighthearted on the surface but heavier underneath. Jeffery swallowed, shifting in his seat. “You’re an idiot.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Armando muttered, leaning back against the headrest at a red light. “You sure you don’t wanna ditch? Just for today?”
Jeffery hesitated. He wanted to say yes. God, he wanted to say yes. But skipping school meant going home, and home wasn’t exactly any better. At least here, he could pretend to be invisible.
“I can’t,” he finally said. “You know that.”
Armando exhaled sharply through his nose, nodding as he changed lanes. “Yeah. I know.”
Silence settled between them again, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Jeffery traced patterns on the foggy window with his finger, watching as the school came into view in the distance.
Then, before he could talk himself out of it, he said, “But maybe after school?”
Armando perked up instantly, glancing at him. “Yeah?”
Jeffery shrugged, suddenly nervous. “I mean… yeah. If you’re not busy.”
A slow, lazy grin spread across Armando’s face. “For you? I’ll clear my whole damn schedule.”
Jeffery rolled his eyes, but his heart was racing.
Armando reached over suddenly, fingers brushing the strap of Jeffery’s backpack where it rested in his lap. “You’re gonna be okay today?”
Jeffery inhaled sharply at the touch—barely there, but enough to send a shiver up his spine. He nodded, unsure if he trusted his voice.
Armando searched his face for a second longer, then nodded back like they had just made some unspoken agreement.
“Alright,” he said, pulling into the school parking lot. “Meet me at my truck after last period. Don’t make me come find you.”
Jeffery smirked. “I might, just to see what happens.”
Armando chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re impossible.”
Notes:
I wish I could throw him in my car 😔
Chapter Text
The drive to school felt like a blur. One moment, they were sitting in the McDonald’s parking lot, and the next, Armando was pulling up to the school curb. The car slowed to a stop, and he unlocked the doors with a click.
“Head inside,” Armando said, tapping the wheel. “I’ll find parking and meet you in the courtyard after I drop our bags in the locker.”
Jeffery clutched his backpack to his chest, looking almost offended. “Actually, I’ll keep it, thank you very much. I brought some new manga today, and I’d rather not risk it.”
Armando rolled his eyes, smirking. “Whatever you say, dork. Now go before you trip over yourself or something.”
Jeffery shot him a glare before pathetically sprinting toward the entrance, his rolling backpack squeaking behind him. Armando chuckled to himself as he pulled away, circling the block for a parking spot.
Today should be easier than usual.
Then again, that’s what he thought every morning.
It was strange how one person could get into so much trouble just by existing, but that was Jeffery. Just yesterday, someone had tossed his backpack into the basketball hoop, and it had taken Armando forever to track down a janitor willing to help—especially after the food fight at lunch had left half the school a mess.
Armando sighed as he finally parked the truck, shaking his head. Maybe today will be different.
As he walked toward the entrance, he overheard students whispering about a new girl joining their class. He didn’t know much besides the fact that she was, well… a girl. Hopefully, she wouldn’t get eaten alive by their chaotic classmates.
Lost in thought, Armando turned the corner—only to walk straight into someone.
Hunter.
His face collided with the taller boy’s chest. He barely had time to register the solid warmth before he stumbled back, heat creeping up his neck.
“S-Sorry, Hunter,” Armando stammered, running a hand through his hair without thinking. “I wasn’t looking. I was just—uh—thinking about stuff.”
Hunter barely looked up from his phone, snorting. “No problem, dude. It’s whatever.”
Then, before Armando could say anything else (or embarrass himself further), Hunter gave him a light punch on the shoulder. “See you around, man.”
Armando froze for half a second, watching as Hunter disappeared down the hall. He let out a slow breath, shaking his head. Get a grip.
Pushing down whatever that feeling was, he made his way to his locker, tossed his bag inside, and slammed it shut.
Right now, he had something more important to deal with—finding Jeffery before someone else did.
But before he could take a step, he heard it.
“Nice rolly backpack, you fuckin’ four-eyed, double dick-sucking bitch.”
Then came Jeffery’s indignant reply. “Hey! Stop kicking it! That’s full of precious reading material!”
Armando’s stomach twisted. So much for an easy morning.
Without thinking, he shoved open the double doors, rushing to Jeffery’s side. His rolling backpack lay sprawled on the ground, its contents scattered. Jeffery was locked in a heated argument with Trody over anime, completely oblivious to the way his things were getting stepped on.
With a sigh, Armando crouched to gather up Jeffery’s stuff, stacking his loose papers and shoving manga back into the bag.
Then, a new voice cut through the noise.
“Dude, how do you care about anything this much?”
Armando looked up, eyes landing on a girl he didn’t recognize. The new student.
Before he could process anything else, a gust of wind picked up, sending Jeffery’s folder of loose sketches flying.
“Shit,” Armando muttered, breaking away to chase after them. He managed to snatch a handful from the air, lunging toward the bushes to grab the rest.
And that one second—that one moment where he wasn’t directly next to Jeffery—was all it took.
A sharp yelp rang out behind him.
Armando whipped around just in time to see Jeffery hitting the pavement. His glasses skidded across the concrete, shattering on impact.
His stomach dropped.
“Dude, what the hell?!” Armando was already at Jeffery’s side, pulling him up and holding him close, his voice sharp with anger as he glared at Trody. “This is the third time this week! It’s literally eight in the goddamn morning—can you people chill for five seconds?”
Jeffery groaned, eyes squeezed shut as Armando gingerly took his glasses off, inspecting his face. “Careful with your eyes,” he murmured, voice softening. “Gotta make sure there’s no glass on you.”
Jeffery blinked up at him, his expression hazy without his lenses. Their faces were closer than they probably should’ve been, but Armando didn’t move.
He didn’t want to.
Trody realized he broke Jeffery’s glasses—again—and took off, Crispin following immediately after.
Armando’s grip tightened slightly as he held Jeffery’s face, his thumb brushing over the red mark forming on his cheek. He was pissed. If he ever caught those guys outside of school I swear to god…
Jeffery, completely unaware of the heat in Armando’s gaze, turned to the new girl. “Why aren’t you running off with them?”
The girl replied, her expression still unreadable as she spoke in a flat, disinterested voice. “They’re pussies. I’m not afraid to watch someone writhe in pain.”
Jeffery sniffled. “Well, they’re all just assholes. That guy has been making fun of me for liking anime since the sixth grade.”
The girl—Nicole, apparently—rolled her eyes. “Then just stop liking anime.”
Jeffery looked at her, offended. “But I can’t do that. Anime is my favorite thing ever. My life.”
Nicole sighed, looking seconds away from leaving just to avoid the conversation.
But before she could say anything else, Armando cut in, his voice sharp and full of annoyance. “Can we have an argument some other time? I really don’t have time for this.”
Rolling his eyes, he lifted Jeffery to his feet, keeping a firm arm around him to steady him.
“Come on, Jeffery. We gotta go to the nurse’s office. You don’t need to be associating with the likes of them.”
As Armando walked through the halls, Jeffery pressed against his side, his wheelie backpack dragging behind them, the silence was unbearable.
Jeffery swallowed, guilt creeping in. “Sorry, Mando. I didn’t mean to get into a fight, but you know they’re always picking on me, and I didn’t start the argument, but they just kept bad-mouthing ani-”
“Enough, Jeffery,” Armando interrupted, his tone gentler than before. “I know it’s not your fault. It’s the immature assholes that fill this school. You’re gonna have to learn to ignore them…” He hesitated, his grip on Jeffery tightening slightly. “I know it’s hard when they constantly pick on you, but I guess… I’ll do my best to stay by your side and keep you out of trouble.”
Jeffery looked down, his heart thudding in his chest. He wasn’t sure why those words made his face warm, but they did.
“…There’s probably already an ice pack waiting for me on the desk,” he muttered.
Armando chuckled, the sound low and warm.
And with that, Jeffery felt lighter, like nothing in the world could hurt him as long as Armando was there.
Notes:
If ending seem too crazy, sorry I finish writing that at like 2:30 in the morning
Chapter 4: An ice pack
Summary:
Time to go to the nurse
Notes:
Sorry it took so long but my friends yelled at till I fished it so thank them. Anyway I hope you like it
Chapter Text
Armando made his way down the hallway, Jeffery still glued to his side, silently watching him out of the corner of his eye every few steps. His gaze kept drifting to the fading marks on Armando’s face, concern etched into his otherwise unreadable expression.
Armando was distracted by the closeness, the way his hands fell as he held Jeffrey’s waist close to him. He wasn’t watching where he was going and suddenly, he walked straight into someone. He stumbled back with a yelp, grabbing onto Jeffery’s even tighter to steady him. The last thing he needed was to fall again; his body already ached from earlier, and his pride could only take so much.
“I swear-” Armando started, ready to snap at whoever it was.
But then he looked up.
Hunter.
Hunter had taken one earbud out of his iPod. “Sorry, man,” he said, grinning a little. “Guess that was my bad this time. I was listening to whatever band Crispin’s been going on about all week.” He chuckled, easy and charming.
Armando blinked up at him, and for a second, all the air left his lungs. “It’s-uh-it’s my fault,” he stammered. “I wasn’t paying attention.” He ran a hand through his hair without thinking, nervously twisting a strand around his finger. It was something he always did when he got flustered, and right now, he could feel his heart fluttering stupidly in his chest.
Hunter’s eyes flicked over to Jeffery, who was still pressed close to Armando, his arms crossed and his face blank—but his jaw clenched ever so slightly.
“Kylar?” Hunter asked, brow raised.
Armando shook his head quickly. “No, it was Braxton this time,” he said, voice softer than usual.
He cleared his throat and took a step back. “Well, I should probably get going. I don’t want this guy passing out in the hallway.”
“Right,” Hunter said, popping his earbuds back in. “See you around, Armando.” He gave him a little nod, then walked past.
Armando watched him go for just a moment too long before muttering, “I really gotta stop meeting him like this…”
“Yeah, you do” Jeffery muttered beside him, the edge in his voice too sharp to miss.
Armando blinked, suddenly remembering Jeffery was still there. “What?” he asked.
“Nothing,” Jeffery said, starting to walk again. “Come on.”
They moved together in silence down the hall until they reached the nurse’s office. Jeffery stopped at the door. “I’ll wait out here,” he said. “The nurse has seen enough of me this month.” He said trying to ease the tension then slumped into one of the plastic chairs outside with a sigh.
Armando went in. When the nurse asked what was wrong and Armando said Jeffery’s name, she didn’t even ask for details, she just handed over an ice pack and told him to send Jeffery back to class. Clearly, this was a familiar routine.
Jeffery was still sitting in the same chair when Armando came out, gently crouching in front of him and pressing the cold pack against the side of his face. Jeffery winced at first, then leaned into the chill.
“My mom’s gonna kill me,” he murmured, adjusting the crooked frames on his nose. “This is the fourth pair this month.”
Armando gave him a small smile. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure something out. Come on—let’s get to class.” He stood and held out his hand.
Jeffery took it without hesitation. His legs were steady, but he didn’t pull away when Armando kept his grip on his arm. Honestly, he didn’t mind it. He liked how warm Armando’s hand felt. He liked how he slowed his pace to make sure Jeffery didn’t stumble. He liked… being taken care of. It was unfamiliar territory, but not unwelcome.
By the time they made it to science class, Jeffery was walking fine on his own again. Armando let go of his arm reluctantly, giving it one last little squeeze before stepping away.
“Go grab us a table,” he said. “I’ll hang up my jacket.”
Jeffery nodded and walked toward the middle rows. Armando turned to the hooks near the door, his heart still fluttering slightly from earlier. God, Hunter always had a way of showing up when he least expected it, and making him feel like a total idiot.
He took his time, breathing in and out. Get it together, Armando.
When he turned around, ready to join Jeffery and start whatever boring lab was on the schedule, his steps faltered. Jeffery wasn’t sitting alone. He was sitting beside someone else.
That new girl.
Nicole.
Chapter 5: Take a seat
Summary:
Gotta steal the seat before she does
Notes:
It's been a while sorry I low-key forgot about this but I'll try to write more chapters quicker and I might post some more art if then on my tumblr
Chapter Text
Armando turned to see Jeffery sitting at their usual spot with the new girl perched casually on top of the table like she owned it.
“Hey so, uh… I guess… I guess we’re lab partners, huh? Though I normally partner with my friend,” Jeffery said, voice awkward.
Nicole rolled her eyes with an annoyed sigh. “I don’t know you. Are you just this chummy with everyone you meet?”
“Not everyone,” Jeffery fumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. “But if they look like the type to watch anime, then I might as well, right?”
Nicole stared at him in mock horror, tugging at her outfit. “I look like I like anime? How do I fix that?”
Jeffery’s hands flailed in damage control. “No, no, it just means you look cool!”
Before Nicole could press further, Armando walked up behind her, his tone sharp but casual. “Hey. This guy bothering you?”
Nicole blinked. “How’d you know?”
Armando didn’t answer. He slipped neatly around her and claimed his rightful seat at Jeffery’s side. “Yeah, sorry. He’s not one for thinking before he speaks.” His hand caught the back of Jeffery’s shirt, tugging him firmly down into the chair.
Jeffery let out a startled breath, face heating up as Armando’s arm draped across his shoulders like it belonged there. He stared hard at the mess of notebooks on the desk, embarrassed but strangely comforted.
Nicole raised an eyebrow. “Sooo… what, you his babysitter or something?”
Armando smirked, leaning back with lazy confidence. “Nah. Well, his mom does slip me a few bucks to keep him in line.” He reached over and ruffled Jeffery’s hair, grinning. “JJ’s got a big brain, but sometimes his mouth runs ahead of it.”
Jeffery shot him a glare, wide-eyed. “Hey! Don’t act like you’ve got me all figured out.”
Armando chuckled, low and warm, nudging his elbow into Jeffery’s arm. “Relax, bro. I’ve known you long enough that I could write the manual.”
Nicole wrinkled her nose and muttered, “Umm, I’ll leave you two to it…” before drifting to another table. But Armando didn’t even look at her leave. His gaze stayed locked on Jeffery, sharp and satisfied, like he’d just claimed a victory.
“See? Problem solved,” Armando murmured, tapping Jeffery’s sneaker with his own under the desk. “Now I don’t gotta share you.”
Jeffery blinked, startled. “What?”
Armando only shrugged, his grin lazy but his tone firm. “Lab partners. You’re always my partner. Every. Single. Time. Simple math.” He slid the assignment sheet in front of Jeffery and held it there a moment too long, as if staking a claim.
Jeffery’s chest tightened. Armando was joking, right?. His voice came out softer than he meant when he muttered, “You’re so weird, sometimes”
Armando leaned closer, bumping his shoulder against Jeffery’s. His smirk widened, possessive but playful. “Yeah. But you're weird too.”
Jeffery stared hard at the paper on his desk, heart pounding loud enough that he swore Armando could hear it. He tried to focus on the experiment instructions, but every time he reached for something test tube, a beaker, a pencil Armando’s hand seemed to move too, brushing against his. Too close. Too deliberate.
The air between them felt charged, heavier than the faint smell of chemicals. Jeffery’s throat tightened, his thoughts tangling into a mess. He couldn’t decide if he wanted Armando to back off or lean even closer.
When Armando finally spoke again, it was low enough that only Jeffery could hear. “Don’t worry, JJ. I’ll take care of everything. You just stay right here.”
Jeffery froze, caught by the tone steady, certain, a little too certain. He glanced up, meeting Armando’s eyes, and the lazy grin was still there… but behind it was something sharper. Something that made Jeffery’s pulse jump.
He looked away fast, gripping his pencil like it might anchor him. “Why is this happening…” he whispered under his breath.
But Armando only smiled, satisfied, as though Jeffery’s confusion was exactly what he wanted.
Victorchaos:3 (Guest) on Chapter 1 Tue 18 Feb 2025 02:24AM UTC
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