Josh's POV

I was interrupted whilst cooking by two little boys. They ran up to me and gave me a hug, which I happily reciprocated. They then went to Tobi and did the same.

"Hey boys, what do you want for snacks?" I asked.

"Mini roles?" Henry requested.

"Sure," I grabbed two bowls and two mini roles from the cupboard. I quickly unwrapped them and placed the bowls before the two little boys. Then, I threw the wrappers in the bin.

"How was school?" I asked, continuing to cook.
"Josh that is such a boring question. I honestly expect more from you," Tobi commented, looking up from his work.

"Shut it," I replied, jokingly.

"Where is Ethan, Vik, and Simon?" Luke asked.

"Well Simon won't come out, he needs to work. Ethan is out with Vik, I think they are shopping.

"I want to play minecraft with Vik, though," Lucas complained.

"We should call him!" Henry exclaimed.

"You can call 'em, go asked Harra or JJ for their phone."

"Ok," Lucas said, scurrying out of his seat alongside Henry.

"There cute," Tobi commented upon their exit.

"Yeah," I said, "They add a bit of pure joy to the house.

Tobi humned in agreement.

Simon's POV

The Next Day

In school

I sat with Lux, Freezy, and Josh as we ate lunch. Who else would I sit with? Josh had his hand loosely intertwined with mine.

"How did the house come to be anyway?" Lux asked.

"Well, uhm," I thought momentarily, "Well I guess it started with my friendship with Josh. We've all been friends since, what, year two. So, I guess. I mean, well, after mum, I-I wanted to move out personally. It was too much to be in that house with my family. We-we fell apart. I mean I love my family and all but it was a lot. They were okay with my move, and I still see 'em a fair bit. Well, a-a bit."

Josh picked up for me, "The whole school knew about JJ's parents, right? Si went to talk to him because, well you know, he could relate."

"We became close. He was like a little bro to me. His uncle, who has custody of him but doesn't pay much attention to 'im, bought him a house. JJ then said he needed flatmates, so we moved in."

"I moved in because, well, they kicked me out. Didn't like that I'm gay. Well my father didn't, my mother didn't want to let me go, but Dad refused. I still see mum a couple times a month, but-it doesn't matter," Josh spoke.

"Vik joined next, right?"

"Yeah," Josh confirmed, "Well he came to me, he saw you and I holding hands. Seen as there aren't many other, well queer people in this place. He simply asked me some simple questions, started sitting with us at lunch. We all began to feel a sense of protection over the small boy, but more so Simon and I. JJ, well, JJ had just lost his parents."

"Then Harry transferred from a different school. Harry had no friends, couldn't socialize, anxiety through the roof. JJ was partnered with his for an assignment and the rest with them is history. He moved in mere weeks. The two fit like puzzle pieces."

Josh started on about Ethan, "Ethan moved in because of the divorce. It fucked up his relationship with his mother and father. His mum got kinda custody. The court case it technically still ongoing, but that's a story for a later date. Eth, the poor kid, felt so alone. Ethan, believe it or not, was so quiet when he joined us. He had friends, but they became distant from him after ya know. Well other than Tobi. He asked us one day if he could sit with us. We, of course, said yes. Tobi didn't come join us for a few weeks, just hung out with Ethan. Slowly but surely, we got to know the lad, and Tobi finally came to sit. Ethan moved in maybe a month or so after."

"Tobi took ages. Maybe a year of sleeping over almost every fucking day. He didn't want to move away from home, but eventually he decided he wanted too. Took almost as much time to convince his parents that is was a good idea. They love him a lot."
"That's how it formed I guess. About Two and a half years, wow."

"Damn," Lux said, "That's fucked."

"Innit," I replied.

"Fuck," Freezy said.

"Fuck indeed," Josh said.

"Did you guys not know that?" I asked them.

"I knew fragments. Like the boys shit and stuff I guess, but I've never really heard the whole story," Lux said.
"Fair, fair," Josh said.

Freezy smiled, "The only time you really acknowledge it is to complain about the boys like parents."

We all chuckled at the truth.

"To be fair, it'd be epic to have legal guardianship over Harra, Eth, JJ, and Vikk. It'd make life so much easier," I said.

"Well Harra's dad loves him too much, Ethan's mum would never, JJ probly doesn't want it, and I, a gay, doesn't want to go ask Vikk's homophobic parents," Josh replied.

"Have you guys thought of that?" Freezy asked.

"Course. I'd be great for the boys, hell Vikk's even asked. However, there is no way the judge or parents would agree," Josh said, nonchalantly.

"Oh, I'm actually shocked. You would do that?" Lux asked, shocked.
I sighed and smiled at Josh, "Yep."

"Bro that's mad," Lux commented.

"Not really," I said.

"Yes really, you'd be there Dad," Freezy pushed.

"Nah, fam, we'd be there guardian. Older siblings can be guardians once they are over 18," Josh explained.

"Damn, I'm actually shocked," Lux said.

"It makes sense though, seen as how you treat them and they treat you."

"Yep, exactly," I said.

Josh began, "And now let's g-"

He was interrupted by an announcement, "Joshua Bradley and Simon Minter to the headmaster's office. Joshua Bradley and Simon Minter to the headmaster's office."

"Shit, what'd we do?" Josh said.

"Nothing, I swear."

Wordlessly, we stood up and headed towards the office.

AN/ 

One more part till act one is over. Who's gassed to get the shitty cliffhangerish thing that lies at the end? I certainly am. See ya on the dark side.