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1.
The first time Gansey sees him is on the 300 Fox Way doorstep.
Gansey had slept over in Fox Way the night before, on the couch of course, if Maura had anything to do with it. They had been hanging at the Barns with Adam and Ronan late at night, grateful to spend time together when everything seemed so precarious just a week ago. When it was getting close to Blue’s curfew, Gansey drove her home, just missing the storm that was passing through Henrietta. The Fox Way women had insisted he stay the night. Gansey thinks they were still slightly concerned that he would die again, but he seemed pretty confident that twice in one year would be a bit excessive. But then again, twice in his lifetime was already a bit much.
It was still early in the morning, and he was laying under the colourful quilt Calla had thrown at him the night before. He enjoyed a slight sparse moment of silence, uncommon in Fox Way, when the doorbell rung. He looked around, and realized no one else was up yet, since Fox Way’s open psychic hours didn’t start until noon on Saturdays. Gansey quickly got up, unprepared to deal with whoever was desperate enough for psychic intervention to come to Fox way at 9:00 in the morning.
When he opened the door, he was greeted by a tall, sheepish looking boy, around his age. He had unkempt brownish-red hair, and an outfit and a certain scrappiness that screamed Not a Raven Boy
“Hi, I’m looking for Blue?” He gestured towards the notebook in his hands, “I have her chem notes, I know she’s been gone for the last couple days.”
“Oh! Yes,” Gansey quickly responded, as if he had any idea that Blue was desperately missing her chemistry notes. They had taken the week off from school. It didn’t feel right to go back to conjugating Latin verbs after killing a demon and dying from a kiss. He had cited sickness for him and Adam’s absence, and Blue did the same. “She’s still asleep right now, but I give them to her when she’s awake.”
“Oh really? I mean I was hoping to see her, it’s been a while,” He shuffled his feet, “Sorry, who are you? I mean I know Blue’s family and you’re not-”
“-I’m Gansey, I’m a friend of Blue’s” He was unsure whether to refer to himself as her boyfriend, they didn’t quite have time to have the whole what-are-we conversation. But he did feel a need to assert something like, I’m important to Blue! “And you?”
“Nate. I’ll just give these to her at school. Thanks.” He smiled awkwardly, gestured to his unassuming silver car,
and walked down the steps.
Gansey was slightly unnerved by the encounter. It’s not that he assumed that Blue didn’t have friends at Mountainview, but he expected them to be slightly more feminine, and a lot shorter. He had always assumed him and his friends were the only exception to Blue’s strict no men rule.
When Blue finally walked down the stairs a little later in the morning, he told her about his brief encounter with Nate.
She gave a little frown, “Huh, he could’ve waited till I went back,” Blue shrugged, the movement disturbing the forest-green cardigan that was sliding off her shoulder, “He’s my lab partner for chem, he’s probably mad about having to do his experiments all alone.” She saddled up beside him. “Now, are we still hanging with Adam after his shift?”
Gansey supposed that was a valid excuse, but he would be lying if he forgot about the encounter. It was however, easier to think of other things with his shoulder touching Blue’s.
2.A couple weeks later, they took out their unofficial booth in Blue’s section at Nino’s, Gansey quickly scanned for Blue amidst the dinner rush.
“Give her a fucking second man,” Ronan interjected, “She’s probably making the pizzas or shit.”
“Thanks for giving us more reminders that you’ve never worked a service job” Adam coolly responded.
“Wow, Parrish, thanks for giving us a reminder that you’ve never been a rich, high-school dropout before”
Ronan leaned across the booth, smiling wickedly at Adam.
“Do you really think that’s -“
“Didn’t y’all just get here? How are you already bickering?’ They were fortunately interrupted by Blue walking up to their table, and leaning close to Gansey. An even more fortunate interruption was the feeling of Blue’s lips on his own, a greeting. A small, ordinary thing now.
They had kissed a couple days after Doomsday, which Ronan and Blue expertly coined. It had taken Blue a lot of convincing, but Gansey was resolved. What was life if he could not kiss Blue Sargent? Thankfully he had not died (again), but this new found ability had taken up a lot of their time this past week.
“Booooo,” Ronan shouted at them, with a thumbs down, although his eyes were amused. Even with his ribbing, Gansey wouldn’t forget the small smile Ronan gave when they had demonstrated their kiss, even when he responded with Geez-I didn’t realize you two were into voyeurism which prompted Blue to swiftly throw a pillow at him.
“Wow, Ronan, you never fail to impress me with your maturity.” She quickly wrote down their orders, a common practice that was now memorized. “I’m off in like 10 and then when we’re done, we can go to Monmouth?” They nodded, and she gave a thumbs up and walked back into the kitchen.
They got their pizzas and sweet tea, but Blue had still not joined them. But then he overheard her laugh a few booths down. Instinctively, he lurched his head, eager to hear the explanation for his laughter, and his eyes were met with Nate.
Gansey was not a creature of hate, and it took quite a lot to make him dislike someone, although holding a gun to his head or kidnapping Matthew and putting him a trunk had typically done the trick. But there was something he didn’t like about Nate, something that made his insides turn.
Straining to listen, he could make out what Blue was saying, “-Oh my God, Mr. Armstrong’s a character, and the thing with what’s her name-Sarah? Yeah, that was crazy.”
“Yeah, I mean Sarah kind of deserved it, she’s just like the other girls, more concerned with her make-up than school” He could see Nates sly grin from here. “I bet you must hate all the other girls at Mountainview, they’re just all the same-“
“Earth to Gansey?” He was struck from his fantasies from Ronan’s hand waving in front of his face, his leather bands sliding together on his wrist. “What are you even looking at?” He moved to turn around to look at the monstrosity that was Blue and Nate.
“It’s nothing, really, just was thinking about going back to Washington for Christmas.”
Ronan shrugged, but Adam, with the better view, looked onto Blue and raised an eyebrow at Gansey. If anyone would catch Gansey in his jealousy and insecurity, he knew it would be Adam. He staunchly avoided Adams stare, suddenly finding his pizza more interesting.
Eventually, Blue made it back to their table, quickly complaining about something Catalina, her manager did, and soon he was distracted talking with his favourite people. He did notice, however when Nate walked past the table, and gave a second look to who Blue was sitting with.
He then fully stopped at the table, “See you at school, Blue-Bell.” Oh, Jesus. A nickname, really? Adam and Ronan became very quiet, not used to outsiders intruding on their space, but they exchanged looks in a secret language Gansey couldn’t understand.
Blue waved goodbye, a small, polite smile on her face. She began to fiddle with the bracelets on her arm.
“Who was that?” Ronan asked, ignoring a pleading look from Gansey.
“Just some guy I know from school. You do know that Raven boys aren’t the only people that exist in Henrietta don’t you?” She raised an eyebrow.
“Whatever you say Sargent, I personally believe in the separation of the rich and the poor but your ideas are good too”
And soon that discussion led to a whole debate on inequality and then somehow The Hunger Games, and Gansey was resolved to forget about Nate.
Ronan and Adam did both bring it up later, one with tactful questioning and the other merely saying Who the fuck was Maggot talking to?, but he brushed it off. Blue was a person, with a life outside of his, and he trusted her completely, he would forget about it entirely and not let his jealousy take hold.
3.
That lasted until he had a moment alone with Orla.
He wasn’t alone often with second-youngest member of the Fox Way household. In fact, it was a position he usually avoided, given her catty comments and the general uneasy feeling she gave him. But, when he arrived a bit too early to take Blue to their planned date, he ended up sitting in the living room, with Orla watching him from the living room like a cat waiting to pounce on her prey.
“So, Orla-” Gansey struggled to find the words to ask exactly who exactly Nate was. He didn’t have any reason to question anything exactly about the guy, but he was a little curious on the whole Blue-Bell thing was. He wasn’t a man that was used to insecurity, even with his past girlfriends, fleeting as they were, he could have really cared less about them looking at other men.
“You want to know about Nate, right?” Gansey stared at her. “I’m a psychic, pretty boy. Plus it’s not like you aren’t totally obvious, it took you a lot longer to catch on than I thought, though”
“What do you mean catch on?” She moved to sit on the chair across from him, she leaned forward, dramatically, her braids falling onto her face.
“Nate’s been like, half in love with Blue since they’ve been in middle school.” She grinned a little at his shocked expression. “I’m friends with his sister, it’s been a thing. Yeah I know, he’s not bad looking, but he’s boring and a little miserable. I think that’s why he likes Blue. She’s the manic-pixie dream girl that’s gonna change his life.” Gansey could not think of a way Blue would hate to be described as more
“So why hasn’t he said anything to her?” Gansey knew Blue loved him, in fact he had cosmic proof he was her true love, but Gansey was still a teenage boy, learning that another boy was in love with his girlfriend. “I mean, she doesn’t talk about it a lot, but I know she doesn’t like many people at her school.”
“She has no idea about it, she’s not friends with him, or like anyone, other than you Raven boys, but she’s completely clueless.” She leaned back and tucked her legs under her on the chair, “And trust me, Blue could do very well for herself if she wanted to. For some reason, people love her whole thing.” As someone who definitely did love Blue’s thing, her strangeness, her laugh, her hair, it did unnerve him to know that he was one of many.
He knew he did not have any claim over her loveliness, and he wanted her to be appreciated and loved by many, but a part of him really wished he had some sort of conversation clarifying their relationship. “Well,” he cleared his throat. “Thank you for letting me know, Orla.”
Blue walked down the steps then, adorned in large striped, orange sweater and ripped tights, and her signature clunky combat boots (that matched with Ronan, although neither had said a word about it).
“Hello, Jane!” He felt like he was caught in something, Orla smiled at him, and he silently begged her to not say anything about their conversation.
“You are very chipper today.” Blue responded, but she took his hand and let them out of the Fox Way door. His mind was still on Nate, and his affection for Blue’s manic dream whatever.
+1.
It was a weird and lovely night. A rare day where Blue and Adam didn’t work at all, where Ronan was in a good mood, and Gansey was happy to spend the evening with them. They had begun in Monmouth, watching movies in an effort to catch Ronan up on all the movies he hadn’t seen in childhood. But suddenly they had a craving for gelato, so it became a laughing sprint to the Pig, and a race to the shop before it closed.
As Ronan swung open the door, signaling a ringing of bells, they looked onto an almost empty shop, save for a few Mountainview students who were in line. They fell into place behind them. Suddenly one of the teenagers turned around:
“Hey Blue, how are you doing?” It was Nate, who looked very pleased to see Blue. He then looked at the rest of the group, and looked slightly less pleased. Gansey offered a polite, awkward smile, but Adam and Ronan just stared.
“Oh hi, I’m doing fine,” She politely smiled at him, and crossed her arms, turning to Adam.
“Are you going to the senior fire this weekend?” Another girl in Nate’s small group asked Blue.
“No, I’m not going.”
“I know it’s lame, but what else would you be doing?.” Nate sullenly asked, then quick glanced at the boys with a slightly disapproving stare, as if they were personally holding Blue hostage from attending the thrilling event of a high school fire pit.
She rolled her eyes, “I’m fine even if I don’t have plans, it’s not like I hold many fond memories of Mountainview anyways to cherish ” The group looked uncomfortable at this.
Nate continued “I know it’s shit but-“
“-Jane said no, Nate.” Gansey interjected suddenly. They both looked at him then, Blue with an unknowable stare and Nate slightly tilting his head, confused.
“Blue, can I please just talk to you for a second? Alone?”
She sighed, “Sure.” She shrugged at their group, and handed Gansey her crocheted
bag, their hands meeting. “I’ll just be a minute; can you order for me?”
With that, the rest of Mountainview kids turned around, and Nate followed Blue to a corner of the shop that was relatively private. What did Nate want to talk to her about?
Ronan and Adam quickly began talking in Latin, but Gansey couldn’t spare the thoughts to translate. They reached the front of the line only a few moments later, and he ordered their gelato, and tried his best not to turn his shoulder to look every few seconds or attempt to hear their hushed voices. Luckily, he didn’t have to strain to hear Blue’s sudden exclaim:
“Are you actually serious? Like actually fucking for real?” The three boys turned at once to look at Nate and Blue, and witnessed Blue’s crossed arms, and Nate’s pleading look for her to quiet down. “Why are you acting like you know anything about my life? We’ve talked like once.”
At that, Ronan began to snicker.
“Blue, he doesn’t even know your real name! He called you Jane.” Oh. Ronan and Adam had begun to fully laugh as they waited for their gelato, while Gansey stood there, unsure if he was supposed to explain the whole backstory or simply stay where the pair couldn’t see them.
Oh God, Gansey thought to himself, Helen had told him that the whole Jane-thing was going to kick him in the ass one day.
I’ve known you for years, you aren’t the type of girl to be friends with rich raven boys and be some asshole’s accessory. You’re so beautiful, and different, and you deserve better.” Nate finished his speech triumphantly, but only met Blue’s incredulous stare. “I really like you Blue and-“
“Jesus, Nate.” she took a step forward and put a finger to his chest. “Stop acting like you know shit about my life, we are barely friends.” He moved to say more, but she continued. “You wouldn’t be better to women just because you listen to sad indie shit, and stop thinking I should be grateful you like me or that I’ll change your sad-fucking life. You have no right to comment on any part of my life or who I spend my time with.”
Nate had no words for that, so Blue turned around and quickly walked towards the group. Gansey’s eyes were entirely focused on her, but he could hear the faint bells signaling the exit being opened, then promptly slammed shut.
“You all were listening to that, weren’t you?” Blue said, slightly amused. Gansey and Adam shrugged, lost for words, but Ronan replied with a shit-eating grin and a simple:
“Goddamn, Sargent.”
Blue grabbed her bag and gelato from Gansey, and they filled the blindingly colourful booth. Blue was tucked into his side, her hairclips digging into his shoulder, Adam and Ronan were leaning into each other on the other side of the booth, laughing about an eccentric ad on the local newspaper, and Gansey did not think his third chance at life could get any better.
Blue leaned over to him and whispered, “I do like you calling me Jane. And you do know you’re my boyfriend, right?” Gansey did not know this, but he certainly was not angry to hear it. “I mean- I’m not the biggest fan of the term, but I think the whole dying thing really did cement it for me, if you want, of course.”
“Yes, Jane,” He kissed the top of her head. “I’m your boyfriend.”
Gansey’s third life did seem to be shaping up quite nicely.