Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

            Desmond sat alone in his favourite library on campus, he tapped his pen against his lips as he stared down at his half-written essay on his table. It was due in a week and he had already started over twice, Desmond sighed and put his pen down combing his fingers through his short hand and pulled his hood over his head and tied the strings so it was tight around his face. He groaned softly, careful not to disturb the other students around him and he squeezed his eyes closed trying to rid of the headache his essay had caused. He crossed his arms behind his head and tilted his head back as he listening to the Lord Of The Rings soundtrack through his wireless earbuds.

            He was also waiting for Connor who had texted he would meet Desmond so they could study after his last class of the day. Desmond was happy that he and Connor were getting closer, Connor was a really good friend and a great study partner.

            BECCA 15:45

>heyo u on campus??

            Desmond sat normal again hearing his phone vibrate on the table and smiled seeing his phone screen light up with one of his best friend’s name. In their group of four, Desmond always knew he was closer to Rebecca than he was Shaun and Lucy. But he also knew Rebecca and Shaun were the best of friends and that no one could separate them if they tried, while Lucy was friends will all three of them. They were all friends, but Desmond knew some were closer than others.

            ME 15:46

>yeah dude astronomy building library

            BECCA 15:46

>me an sean will brt

            Desmond snorted at the way she liked to piss Shaun off by spelling it the different types of ways that his name was actually spelt. Desmond looked forward to seeing his friends, ready to welcome a distraction from his essay and other assignments that needed his attention. He also could not wait to introduce Connor to Rebecca and Shaun.

            Fifteen minutes later, Desmond saw Rebecca and Shaun looked around the quite library. He waved a hand and Rebecca smiled as she pointed to him. Shaun followed behind her as they sat down at Desmond’s table and set there backpacks aside, Desmond took his earbuds out and leaned his elbows on the table and greeted them with a warm smile. Last time he had seen them was on the weekend when Rebecca was helping a tipsy Shaun into her car.

            “What it do Miles?” Rebecca smiled as she shuffled out of her jacket, she leaned it over her chair and helped Shaun out of his when he muttered a swear at his long arms being stuck. “How’s your Tuesday going?”
            “It’s going.” Desmond shrugged. “How bout you guys?”

            “Well,” Shaun made a face and pushed his glasses higher on his nose and looked Desmond straight on. “it would have been quite normal if Rebecca’s stupid car hadn’t stalled and we didn’t have to get the damn thing towed, and a ride to the bus stop while in the bloody tow truck!” His accent nearly making Desmond laugh at how he pronounced the words to angrily. Desmond had noted quite early on in their friendship that Shaun always seem to have a stick up his ass, and wasn’t afraid to downplay it.

            “No way, the Ford?” Desmond’s jaw dropped as he turned to Rebecca. “That thing finally gave out?”

            Rebecca nodded and wiped a fake tear away. “Rest in peace, my baby of nine years.”

            “Surprised it lasted as long as it did with the way you drive.” Shaun muttered and rolled his eyes, “Thank goodness the breaks didn’t give out and we crashed into something!”

            Rebecca rolled her eyes. “Dramatic much?”

            Shaun raised his eyebrows and shrugged a shoulder, pulling his expensive laptop from his bag. “Whatever, I’m just glad I didn’t die with you driving.” He set his laptop down and rolled his eyes when Rebecca gave a fake hurt gasp.

            Desmond chuckled as the two bickered back and forth like they always did.

            Rebecca snorted and pulled her phone from her pocket. “Shaun we are going to go out in a blaze of fire, and you know it.”

            “Yeah I’m just glad the ball of fire won’t be your bloody car anymore!” Shaun sighed and combed a hand through his gelled back dark red hair. “Anyway, that’s how our morning had gone. Sounds like fun don’t it?’ He rolled his eyes.

            Desmond snorted. “Sounds like the funnest”

            Rebecca laughed and leaned her neck back. “Oh it was! Man, you should’ve seen the look on your face when the car stalled!” Rebecca hit Shaun shoulder with the back of her hand making him frown at her as she wheezed out a laugh and Desmond could not help but laugh with her. “Ugh what a day!” She took a deep breath trying to recover from her sudden laughing fit. “And its only four in the afternoon, I wonder what else God has planned for us!” She elbowed him.

            “Never a dull moment with this one huh Desmond?” Shaun pointed his thumb at her and rolled his eyes as he opened his laptop.

            “Nope,” Desmond grinned “never.”

            Rebecca sighed with a smile then she nodded to Desmond who was leaning over his half-finished essay. “Better hide that Miles, teacher’s pet here will give you a lecture on what goes into a good essay.” She made a face and tilted her head in Shaun’s direction.

            Shaun looked up from his laptop quickly. “Somebody say essay?”

            Desmond’s eyebrows shot up. “You really like essays dude? Geez what happened at that high school.” He placed his arms over his papers to hide them as Shaun looked at them.

            “Get over the fact that we went to different high school Desmond, if we stayed with the original high school, we might’ve turned into someone like you.” Desmond rolled his eyes at the insult, knowing Shaun didn’t mean it seriously, he liked to shoot insults as did as much a he could. His words were harmless, for the most part. “And let me live my life aye mate?” He turned back to his essay. “You might like reading for classes and taking notes, but me,” He pointed his thumb to his chest. “I like essays.”

            Rebecca pursed her lips and made her eyes wide as she used her index finger to make a circle around her temple. Desmond laughed at the display and Shaun elbowed her. “Freak. And I think you just like flexing your Macbook! We get it, you have a high paying job and don’t make big impulse purchases.”

            “You’re quite right Becs, I don’t.” Shaun smirked at her and turned to Desmond. “I don’t spend two hundred dollars to own the entire Game of Thrones series on DVD when I’ve already seen it hundred times! And I don’t go to drivethrus and order a fuck ton of food every time I leave my apartment!”

            “Our apartment!” Rebecca narrowed her eyes. “And you know the series was on sale so don’t you start.” She combed a hand through her hair as if she was stressed out over the conversation.

            “That’s it, I’ve have enough of you for today.” Shaun took a pair of Airpods from his pocket, snapping the case open and closed loud enough for Desmond to roll his eyes, Shaun connected them to his phone and gave his friends a look over his glasses, “Excuse me while I get some work done, will you?” He put his earbuds in and turned away from them.

            Rebecca waved a hand and Shaun zoned them out as his music started playing. “Sadly, we live together.” Rebecca said softly and looked to Desmond. “We came here on a mission. Well I, came here on a mission he just follows me everywhere.”

            “Yeah I know.” Desmond raised an eyebrow. “And a mission?” He repeated.

            “Yes, surprise this is an intervention.” Rebecca nodded and rolled up the sleeve of her hoodie so he could see the tattoo on her inner arm. They had gotten their first tattoos together; she got a quote in Latin on her inner arm (that Desmond forgot its meaning) while he got a design he drew and liked on his left arm. “When we were at BP, I noticed a few things.”

            Desmond’s cheeks heated a little. “Okay?”

            Rebecca pursed her lips, narrowed her eyes and pressed her hands together and pointed them across the table at Desmond. “You like Lucy? Don’t you?” The little grin she gave made Desmond want to groan and hide his face as he sunk down in his chair.

            “Yeah do you?” Shaun pulled an Airpod out and looked to Desmond across the table.

            “Gotta get some work done huh?” Desmond rolled his eyes and Shaun just grinned. Desmond hated when Shaun and Rebecca grinned at him at the same time. He looked between the two and thought he could beat them in a stare down for a moment, but groaned when Rebecca raised an eyebrow.

            “Aha!” Rebecca’s eyes went wide, and she nudged Shaun, “Told ya! You totally would’ve seen them flirting all night at BP if you weren’t white girl wasted!”

            Desmond’s cheeks heated remembering how there was definitely something going on between him and Lucy while they ate their dinners. In the moment, he was afraid that Lucy was just laughing at his not very funny jokes and listening intently to anything he said because she was being nice. A small part of Desmond knew that Lucy was way out of his league, she was smart, pretty, popular, and athletic to the point were all her friends thought she played every sport that their college offered. And if the college did not offer a sport, she found a club team or a beer league team to play with to keep in shape. Desmond remembers how Lucy was studying Law, but she had told him on the weekend that she was actually planning to join the police force to become an officer.

            Desmond rolled his eyes while looking at his friends and waved a hand, “It’s a tiny crush, tiny tiny little crush. Don’t make it a big deal Becs.” Desmond felt his cheeks heat more at his lie. He was without a doubt head over heels for Lucy and had been for as long as he can remember, but since they reconnected last term his crush was once again all he could think about when around her.

            Rebecca nodded and cocked her head to the side. “Yeah sure, tiny crush.” She mocked.

            Shaun just grinned and turned back to his laptop. “It was pretty obvious mate, you are a wreck when she’s around.”
            “Shaun!” Rebecca turned to him quickly.

            “What!” Shaun shrugged as he looked at her, “I’m just saying-“
            “Alright,” Desmond rolled his eyes and sighed as he combed a hand through his short hair and suck back in his chair. He pulled his hood over his head and sighed, “it’s official I hate you both.”

            Shaun chuckled and went back to his laptop and Rebecca scooted forward in her chair with a smile. “Oh c’mon Miles don’t be like that.”

            Desmond just covered his face and groaned.

            Rebecca rolled her eyes. “I didn’t mean to make fun of you man, if fact I came to tell you to shoot your shot!” Rebecca smirked when Desmond kept his hood on but looked at her with flushed cheeks. “I’m not besties with Lucy, but we did get out first bikini waxes together so we are close and we’ve been friends for a long ass time so I know when my girl is interested in a guy.” She winked and Desmond groaned again.

            “Becs, what the hell are you saying?”

            “What I’m saying is, Lucy is a hard to read. And she’s no open book that’s for sure.” Rebecca combed a hand through her bangs and smiled tilting her head watching Desmond nod in agreement. “She’s not super affectionate or anything, as you already know, but I have caught her lingering glances on you.” Rebecca wiggled her eyebrows. “And you got cute after high school Des, so why wouldn’t she like you? You’re gentle, and loving and caring, and so in touch with your feelings and I think Lucy needs a man like that for her.”

            Both Shaun and Desmond exchanged weird looks before looking to Rebecca. She sighed contently then noticed their glances and looked between them with her eyebrows raised in question.

            “What?”

            “In touch with his feelings?” Shaun mocked and kept his eyes on her as he pointed to Desmond. “Becs have you forgotten this is Desmond your talking about? We both know there’s not much going on inside his head half the time.”

            “Hey!” Desmond made a face.

            “Desmond?”

            Desmond turned around in his chair and his face lit up seeing his friend. “Connor, perfect timing! Thank God, save me from these freaks!”

            Connor raised an eyebrow in question and looked to Shaun and Rebecca who were now watching the tall boy curiously. He blushed under at the attention. “I, um, I thought I heard your voice. Sorry I did not know that was you because of your hood.” Connor smiled a little and motioned to Desmond’s hood.

            “Oh shit, sorry.” Desmond felt the hood over his head and motioned to the chair beside him. “Here if you wanna sit.” He moved his chair making room and watched as Connor sat in the chair beside him, leaving his backpack to rest between his feet and leaving his jacket on. Desmond could feel the chill from the outside coming off it. “Connor meet my friends, this is Rebecca and Shaun.” He smiled and looked to the pair across the round table.

            Connor smiled warmly and nodded at the pair. “Nice to meet you.”

            “You too big guy!” Rebecca smiled and leaned over the table to offer her hand, Connor took off his mitts quickly and shook her hand. “I’m Rebecca.”

            “And I’m Shaun.” Shaun nodded and offered his hand when Rebecca settling down in her chair again. “Nice to meet you Connor.”

            “These two are attached at the hip. So if you see one odds are you’ll see the other not too far away.” Desmond grinned and Connor smiled.

            “Kind of like you and cookies.” Connor smiled when Desmond laughed, he took off his toque and combed his fingers through his hair before tying it in the usual high bun he wore it in. “What are you two studying, if you don’t mind my asking?” He asked the pair across the table, polite as ever.

            “Well,” Shaun perked at the question and pushed his glasses on his nose to see across the table. “I was hoping for a degree in politics, but for the past three years I’ve been studying computer science and history.” He cocked his head to the side and shrugged. “Not so sure what degree or career I plan on getting though.” Shaun’s face twisted into a frown.

            “A lot of students feel that way, so you don’t have to worry.” Connor nodded. “I’m quite sure you’ll figure it out.”

            Shaun smiled and looked to Desmond. “I like him!”

            Rebecca laughed and shoved Shaun. She liked to hit and push him around and it seemed that Shaun did not mind. “I’m going for engineering, but same with Shaun I’ve been obsessed with signing up for every history class this college offers.”

            “Good thing our college is centred around history huh Becs.” Desmond smiled.

            “You bet your ass!” She laughed and nodded to Connor. “How ‘bout you Connor? What are you going for?”

            Connor straightening up in his chair and took his elbows off the table as he was spoken to. “Politics,” He shrugged a shoulder, “I’m really interested in being a lawyer or something of the sort.” He blushed a little as Shaun nodded enthusiastically. “My focus remains on Indigenous rights.” He made a gesture to himself, “Because clearly, I’m a minority.”

            Desmond smiled at his friend. He admired Connor greatly for wanting to fight for his people and their rights, he spoke so strongly in their high school about how the few Indigenous students did not feel welcomed in the mostly white school and how things should change. Desmond saw a passion in Connor that he had not seen in anyone before. The group chatted back and forth for a while until a librarian approached their table and gave them a mean look and a warning about their volume level being distracting to surrounding students.

            Desmond’s phone lit up and he groaned seeing his work supervisor Juno’s name on the screen. “Oh fuck me.” The three looked to him with questioning looks. “One sec.” Desmond stood up from the table and walked a distance away to take his work call. After an annoying talk with his supervisor, he groaned and started packing his schoolwork upon returning to his friends. “Sorry guys, gotta blast. That was work and I gotta go.” He put his hand on Connor’s shoulder, “We’ll study sometime during the week alright?”, Connor nodded with a smile then Desmond turned to Rebecca and Shaun. “Be nice.”

            Rebecca nodded and waved a hand, “He’s safe with us.”

            Connor smiled.

            Shaun nodded and Desmond stood as he pulled on his backpack. “Later Desmond.”

            Rebecca smiled and flashed him a look. “Don’t think your off the hook about talking about Lucy yet Miles.”

            Connor turned to her hearing Lucy’s name. “Do you mind telling me about who Lucy is? Desmond talks about her quite a lot.”

            Rebecca threw her head back as she laughed. Shaun clasped a hand over her mouth to quiet her as he looked back in the direction of the library front desk. “Laugh quietly you pig!”

            Rebecca tore his hand away. “I’ll catch you up Connor, don’t you worry.” She offered her hand out for a fist pump and Connor chuckled as he bumped their fists together. Then winked to Desmond.

            Desmond flipped them his middle fingers feeling his cheeks heat as he walked away. “I hate you all.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and smiled to himself hearing his friends share a chuckle between themselves behind him.