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Dwight was four and a half when he met baby James. Dwight found it ugly and annoying. It cried all the time and couldn't even hold its own head up. Dwight’s mommy said he could when he was a baby because Schrutes had superior genes and Dwight had the strength of two babies. It was unfortunate that it didn’t seem to have the same genetic makeup, but it was the new son of his mommy’s friend so he had to play nice.

It would always stare at Dwight whenever he came over. His mommy and its mommy were best friends, so they were always here. Fannie played with its older siblings, leaving Dwight in its company. It never cried around Dwight, which was good, but it would always start up once Dwight moved from its sight. It would always grab at Dwight with its small, balled-up fists, teeny tiny fingers trying to clutch at Dwight’s superior hand. It would cling to his shirt, getting its baby drool all over him and not its bib. It would bob its head whenever Dwight smiled at it. It was a dumb baby, and Dwight didn’t like it.

Its mommy always took pictures of the two of them. “Awww, Jimmy really likes you, Dwight!” She snapped a picture of Dwight and it huddled together, its hands balled up in Dwight’s shirt. It kept gasping at him, little bubbles coming from its mouth. Yuck. Both of their mommies and daddies found it cute though, and it encouraged its behavior by making Dwight hold it. It looked up at him and drooled more, giving him a gummy smile.

“I always thought Fannie and Pete would tie our families together, but maybe it’ll be James and Dwight,” said Dwight’s mommy, causing everyone to laugh. Dwight blanched. He had no idea what they were talking about, but he didn’t want to be in the company of it any longer! And of course, it was of no help, staring up at him with its big eyes and giggling face. Eck.

Their families went skiing together in the Poconos. Dwight was too young to ski, so the five-year-old had to sled with the baby instead. He watched Pete, Tom, Larissa, and Fannie with jealousy. They always got to do cool stuff while he was stuck with the baby. His mommy told him that he couldn’t call the baby an “it” anymore because he had a name. James, Jamie, Jim, Jimmy, whatever, Dwight didn’t think he should acknowledge it if the baby couldn’t tell him his name himself. So “baby” it was. 

Dwight watched the baby try to crawl around the room. He normally could, but his mommy put him in a snowsuit that made his arms and legs jut out like a starfish. So the baby kept scooting across the floor on his belly, not getting far because he couldn’t gain his footing through the puffy coat. Dwight sighed and picked him up. It was funny to watch him struggle at first, but now it was sad; the baby looked like a farm animal that needed to be put down. He sat him on the couch of their hotel room, propping him up on pillows so he could look around the room. The baby giggled at him, making Dwight roll his eyes. What a creep. 

The baby’s daddy came and took Dwight and the baby outside to play. Dwight had to ride on the same sled with the baby because he was incapable of doing anything for himself. Dwight had to wrap his arms around the baby to keep him from falling over. What a nuisance. The baby made happy noises as air whizzed pass his face. Dwight supposed this was his first time sledding, he didn’t even exist last winter. “Did you have fun,” Dwight asked the baby, not expecting a response. What a weirdo. Dwight’s mommy said he could speak at five months old, obviously this baby was defective. Instead, the baby made gurgling noises as his daddy took pictures of them. 

Dwight sighed. This was not a play date he wanted to remember.

Months later the Halperts were at Schrute Farm barbecuing for Labor Day. Dwight ran around outside, chased by Fannie and Pete, while the baby rolled around on the porch. He still couldn’t walk or talk despite being eleven months old, something Dwight found ridiculous. The baby wasn’t trying hard enough, he’d never survive in the world.

The baby watched Dwight play with the older kids and moved to get to him. He tried crawling down the steps of the porch, but his mommy pulled him back. The baby started bawling. 

“Shhhh, Jimmy! Don’t cry! I don’t want you falling down the stairs,” cooed his mommy, kissing his face. Dwight thought the baby’s mommy coddled him too much. Dwight took the baby from his mommy and sat him in the dirt. There. Now he was at the bottom of the steps and not crying. 

“Bababba,” said the baby, holding his hands out to Dwight. Dwight took a step back, out of reach of the baby. The baby didn’t like that and tried reaching for him again. Dwight moved again. “Deewhytatata!”

“No “deewhytatata”. If you want me to play with you then you need to learn how to walk. Crawling is for babies.”

“He is a baby,” Fannie chimed in. 

The baby put his stubby arms on the stairs behind him and stood up on wobbly legs. “Deewhytata!” He took a shaky step forward towards Dwight. The baby’s mommy jumped up and ran into the house. She came back with a camera and called for her husband. “Gerald! Jimmy's about to walk!” 

The baby fell over on its behind and cried out. His mommy moved to pick him up, but the baby made a waving gesture that looked like he was saying no. Everyone crowded around and laughed, including Dwight. “Deewhytata! Deewhytatata!” The baby pulled himself up on the steps again and took a step forward. “Deewhyta! Deewhyta!” 

“Oh my god,” the baby’s daddy breathed. The baby tottered towards Dwight chanting, “Deewhyta! Deewhyta! Dee-why-tah!” He eventually reached Dwight and grabbed onto the bottom of Dwight’s shirt with his grubby hands. 

“He’s walking and talking,” cried the baby’s mommy. She kept filming the scene but her hands were shaking hard. 

“He said “Dwight”,” said Tom, appalled. “He should be saying “mama”, “dada”, or “Tommy”, not “Dwight”.”

“Way to make it about yourself, Tommy,” said Fannie. Dwight picked up the baby and brought him to his daddy. His daddy, in turn, put him back down and watched as he tried and failed, and then tried and succeeded to walk back to Dwight.

“Dee-why-tah! Dee-why-tah!” The baby caught up to Dwight and held his arms out, demanding to be picked up. Everyone laughed again and Dwight obliged. Dwight was proud of the baby for walking and saying his name, but more importantly, he was proud of himself. He knew the baby was lazy, he just needed someone to give him a push in the right direction. Dwight had been the one to do it.

Dwight was in the barn when he heard Jim scream. He ran outside and saw the four-year-old holding his arm, crying. There was a smug-looking goat on the other side of the fence who moseyed away. 

“Dwight! The goat bit me! I’m bleeding, I’m gonna die,” Jim cried. Dwight checked Jim’s arm, and outside of red skin where the goat nibbled on him, he was fine. The skin wasn’t broken, and it definitely wasn’t bleeding. Jim had a way of overreacting.

“Do you want me to bandage it,” Dwight asked instead, knowing it was easier to play along than convince Jim he wasn’t dying from a goat bite. Jim nodded and held his arms out for Dwight to pick him up. Instead, he bent over and allowed Jim to climb on his back. Dwight took him into the house and bathroom where he sat Jim down on the toilet seat. “Okay, I’m gonna fix your arm but first you have to stop crying,” Dwight said solemnly. Jim kept crying but bit his lip to keep noise from coming out. It was good enough.

Dwight rinsed Jim’s arm off under warm water before drying it off. “I’m gonna put magic healing cream on your arm, okay Jim? Once it’s on your arm won’t hurt anymore and you won’t die anymore either, okay?” Jim nodded. In actuality Dwight rubbed Jergens lotion on Jim’s arm and massaged it in, causing him to giggle. “Does it still hurt,” Dwight asked. 

“No, it feels better!”

“Good. I’m going to wrap it in gauze now.” Dwight wrapped Jim’s arm in toilet paper, before tying the ends together the way he learned in cub scouts. Jim admired Dwight’s handiwork before giving him a hug.

“You’re my hero, Dwight!” Dwight rolled his eyes and hugged him back.

Dwight held Jim’s hand as they walked back downstairs and into the kitchen where their moms were talking. Jim ran to his mom and held his arms out, wanting to be held. Unfortunately, Mrs. Halpert was already holding Dwight’s newborn brother, Jeb, while Dwight’s mom held his younger cousin Mose. Mose’s mom died after she had him, and his “good for nothing” dad ran off. Thus Dwight’s mom had two new babies to raise.

Jim didn’t understand that though and saw the two babies as threats. He was so used to being the youngest in both families that he wasn’t handling other people getting attention well. He was accustomed to his parents fawning over him at home, before coming to the Schrutes’ later and having them fawn over him too. He didn’t even know Dwight had a brother on the way, he just thought Dwight’s mom was getting fat. Dwight found it amusing how jealous Jim was. He wondered if he acted the same way when Jim was born? 

Before Jim could start crying Dwight picked him up to the best of his ability. He sat at the table with their parents and shifted him onto his lap. “Mommy! The goat outside bit me and I almost died but then Dwight put magic healing cream on it and wrapped it and I’m alive!” Jim’s mom shifted Jeb and took Jim’s bandaged arm into her hand. She’s looked at Dwight for confirmation and he nodded. 

“I “healed” him, so it should be fine. Victor didn’t break the skin.” Jim’s mother ruffled his hair and went back to tending to Jeb.

“Thank you so much for your help, Betsy. It’s been stressful these past couple of weeks. I still can’t believe Shirley passed so suddenly…,” said Dwight’s mom. She looked ready to cry so Dwight patted her arm. She smiled fondly at her son before wiping her eyes.

“It’s no problem, you were there for me when I had my children. You’re family, of course we’d help!”

“Why are we family,” Jim asked. Dwight could tell he was growing testy from being ignored as he liked to ask ridiculous questions to garner attention. Dwight found it hilarious at the moment but hoped he’d grow out of it eventually. “Is it because me and Dwight are getting married?” 

Both of their moms laughed while Dwight furrowed his eyebrows. They had made a joke about Jim clinging to Dwight all of the time and said they’d probably end up together. Jim took it to heart and now believed that they were to be married when they were older. “Jim, boys can’t marry each other,” explained Dwight for the umpteenth time. “Only boys and girls can get married.”

“I can be a girl,” said Jim proudly. Their moms laughed harder and Dwight groaned. They encouraged Jim’s childish behavior far too much.

When Jim was seven his teacher called home to recommend glasses for him. He could read things up close but had problems if he had to be more than half a foot away from something. She discovered this when Jim couldn’t answer questions on the board unless he stood directly under it.

Dwight went with the Halperts to get Jim an eye exam. Jim whined the entire time that he’d be the only person in his class with glasses. “I don’t need them! I’ll just sit really close to the board so I can see it!”

“You’ll make it so you can’t read at all if you keep straining your eyes like that, Jim,” replied Dwight, patting his back. He couldn’t relate, because his Schrute genes afforded him perfect 20/20 vision. However, he knew how it felt to be an outcast at school. He was having a bit of trouble fitting in, and so far only made one friend, Michael. Not that he minded. He had Fannie, and Larissa and Pete, and Mose and Jeb. But most importantly, he had Jim. 

“I don’t want to wear them,” said Jim, teary-eyed. “Nobody else does, so I’ll be a freak and they’ll bully me!” The optometrist gave him a small smile before fitting him with different pairs of glasses. Jim’s parents decided on a simple pair of black frames since Jim was being disagreeable, along with a pair with an elastic band instead of arms in case he wanted to play any sports. Jim looked thoroughly defeated by the whole affair and Dwight felt bad for him. He pulled the optometrist and Jim’s parents to the side. 

“Do you have any glasses where the lens aren’t real? I think Jim would feel better if he wasn’t the only one who had to wear them.” The optometrist nodded.

“I do, but they're a bit older. I can give you a couple of pairs for free, the style isn’t very popular and they’re taking up space at this point.” He walked away and came back with a few cases of nerdy looking glasses. Dwight tried on a few different styles until he found on that fit his face. The optometrist then gave him different sized glasses in that particular style in case he wanted them for when his face changed. 

“You’re giving him so many, are you sure it’s okay for him to have them for free? We can compensate you for them,” said Jim’s father.

“It’s absolutely no problem. Seriously, no one wears this style anymore. I’d never be able to get rid of them. Besides, it’s nice that he'd be willing to do that for your son.” 

Jim’s father ruffled his hair. “I agree, Dwight’s always been a good kid.”

Dwight went back to Jim with his new glasses. “Look, Jim, I have to wear glasses too! They just did an eye exam on me, and I can’t see well either.”

“What happened to your superior Schrute genes,” Jim sniffed. 

Dwight covered his mouth to hide his smile. “My genes are superior in other ways. It’s only natural that some specimens need eyewear. In fact, wearing glasses makes us superior, because it means our other senses have evolved and exceed their maximum potential. You can augment your eyes with glasses to make your sight stronger, but you can’t make your hearing stronger, or your taste stronger, or your touch stronger, or your smell stronger without evolution. We Schrutes have done that, and so have you.”

“And now you need glasses too,” Jim asked suspiciously. Dwight nodded hard, causing his glasses to slide down his nose. He pushed them back up. Jim jumped off of the examination table and ran over to Dwight before attaching himself to his side. “I want glasses now too!”

“Well, you’re gonna get them regardless, Jim. At least you won’t be alone in wearing them.” Jim held his arms out so Dwight would pick him up; Dwight sighed and did so. Jim didn’t like being held anymore, except for Dwight. He was such a strange child. Jim planted a kiss on Dwight’s cheek before jumping out of his arms and running to find his parents. Whatever. Families kissed each other on the cheek all the time, and the Halperts and the Schrutes were technically one big family. 

He found Jim playing on the floor, wearing his glasses. He looked up at Dwight and called for his parents. “Mom! Dad! Look! Me and Dwight match! We both have glasses!”

“I know sweetie,” said Jim’s mom. “Who would have thought Dwight would need glasses too?” She winked at Dwight and mouthed “thank you” to him. He shrugged, he didn’t mind if it made Jim more comfortable. It was no problem at all.

“I’m being bullied at school,” said Jim indignantly. “There’s this boy in my class who likes Pam. But since Pam is my best friend and not his he’s jealous and takes it out on me. I won’t stand for it any longer!” He pounded his fists on the dinner table to get his point across. Pam was Jim’s friend, a girl who moved to town a few months ago. The two bonded over the fact that they both wore glasses and liked reading more than other people. Dwight was happy that Jim had a friend his age now, the age gap between the two was growing more pronounced. He wasn’t sure if he related to Jim as much as he used to, eight and twelve were worlds away. 

Jim’s mother snorted while passing a basket of rolls to Dwight’s father. The Halperts invited the Schrutes over for dinner once a week, and while that meant there were at least nine mouths to feed it was a good way for everyone to catch up with each other.

“How about I call your teacher tomorrow Jimmy, and we’ll work it out that way,” asked his father. 

“No, that won’t do. I need to prank him!” Dwight laughed. Pete and Larissa left the eight-year-old a book of pranks when they went off to college and he was now obsessed with pulling them on people. By people that mostly meant Dwight, but it’d be nice for Jim to prank someone else, especially if they deserved it. 

“I agree with Jim,” said Dwight, “the only way to destroy such confrontational behavior in this boy is by showing him Jim is not to be trifled with! I say we prank him until he learns his lesson!” Jim cheered. 

“Dwight gets it!”

“Jim, no. If you prank this kid then there’s a chance you might get suspended. Is that what you really want,” asked his father.

“He keeps messing with me and Pam. I have to defend her honor, otherwise, other men will try to dominate her and cuckold me!” The parents and Fannie all turned towards Dwight, shocked. It was the type of thing Dwight would say, and unknowingly (or maybe purposely) teach Jim. Dwight looked away, fighting back laughter.

“Don’t say that Jim, and do not prank him. If he bothers you again scream really loud and a teacher will help you,” said Jim’s mother.

“That’s lame, no offense Mrs. Halpert,” said Fannie. “If he bothers you again ask him why he’s being so antagonistic towards you. He might just want friends. Try inviting him to eat lunch with you, that should work.” 

“I like my idea the best,” said Jim stubbornly. “Although I will consider what you all have said.”

“Jim’s gonna fight,” asked Jeb innocently. Jim glared at him. It had been close to four years since Jeb and Mose were born and Jim still didn’t like either of them.

“I’m not going to fight, I’m going to use my brain. Roy Anderson will never bother me or Pam again!”

Dwight snuck out of class a bit early the next day to pick up Jim and Pam. His middle school was only a few blocks away from their elementary school, so class was still going by the time he got there. He spotted the pair on the playground, another person with them. The boy yanked at Pam’s pigtail, causing her to cry out.

“Leave her alone, Roy,” said Jim, slapping his hand away. Roy fumed before shoving Jim, but he barely moved back two steps. Pam took both of her pigtails in her hands so Roy couldn’t pull them again. Instead, Roy snatched Pam’s purple glasses off of her face and held them out of reach. 

Dwight watched to see what Jim’s next move would be. He dully thought that he should step in, or get their teacher. But Jim needed to learn to fight his own battles, Dwight couldn’t step in and save him every time. Even if that meant Jim had to snitch and get the teacher instead.

What ended up happening was: Jim launched himself backward onto the ground as if Roy had pushed him. Roy watched him quizzically while Pam stifled a laugh. Jim removed his glasses, making a show out of the whole process, before smashing them on the ground. He then rolled around, rubbing dirt from the ground into his clothes and hair. Dwight watched him, fascinated. What was Jim up to? 

Jim let out a bloodcurdling scream. 

Multiple teachers came running over, while students began to gather around. Jim’s homeroom teacher dashed over and kneeled beside him. “Roy pushed me! He pushed me and broke my glasses! And now he’s gonna break Pam’s too,” cried Jim. His eyes were teary and his nose runny, and for a second Dwight wondered if Jim were actually crying from beating himself up. 

“I did not! Jim pushed himself over! He broke his own glasses,” said Roy. 

“Then why do you have Pam’s glasses in your hand,” asked their homeroom teacher. Roy didn’t have a rebuttal. The teacher pulled Pam’s glasses from Roy’s hand and gave them back to her. “Pam, is this true? Did Jim push himself over, or did Roy do it?”

“Roy did it,” Pam lied. “He’s always being mean to us!”

Their teacher picked up the crying Jim and beckoned Roy to follow him. Jim peered over the teacher’s shoulder and down at Roy. He stopped his fake waterworks and gave Roy the middle finger and a dirty smile. Roy became agitated and cried out, “He’s faking! He’s faking! He just gave me the middle finger! He’s lying! I didn’t push him!” Jim let out a loud sniffle for good measure before burying his face in his teacher’s shoulder.

“Wait until your parents hear about this Roy! You can’t pick on your classmates,” scolded the teacher. Dwight walked around the playground to follow the kids and teacher inside the building. He was in absolute awe that Jim conspired to get Roy in trouble. There was no prank involved either, just manipulation. It was bad, but Jim was smart to do that. Roy probably wouldn’t mess with him again. 

A week later, when his suspension was over, Roy sat at lunch with Pam and Jim. “He’s my friend now,” said Jim at the Halpert-Schrute weekly dinner. “He’s very nice now that I’ve dominated him. He’s learned he can’t cuckold me or Pam!” Fannie punched Dwight under the table at Jim using “cuckold” and “dominate” again. Dwight smiled, thoroughly proud that Jim learned to stand up for himself, in his own strange way.

“Jim, what are you doing,” asked Dwight, watching the ten-year-old scale one of the trees on his farm. He was holding what looked like a beehive, but on further inspection, Dwight realized it was a paper mache replica. Jim must have put a lot of effort into creating it, it looked realistic.

“I’m setting up this prank for Larissa! When she comes by she’ll see this beehive and get scared! I have it rigged so it’ll shake when she gets close to it. It’ll hit the ground and explode confetti everywhere!” Jim’s sister Larissa was coming home after studying abroad for a year. The only person more excited than Pete for her arrival was Jim, who missed his old sister dearly. Dwight discovered long ago that pranks were Jim’s warped way of showing people affection, if he liked them. Sometimes he did pull pranks and jokes to be a hell-raiser, but typically the boy didn’t like to expend effort on things or people he didn’t like. That’s how he knew Jim liked him because nine times out of ten Dwight was the recipient of Jim’s pranks.

Dwight watched Jim’s friends meander around the tree. He could tell by their faces that none of them thought this prank was particularly a good idea. Dwight stepped closer to get a better look at what Jim was doing.

“Jim, come down! What if you fall,” asked Andy, a perpetually nervous kid who Jim, Pam, and Roy befriended at the beginning of the year. 

“I won’t! The Schrutes have strong trees to match their strong genes. I should be fine!” Jim stepped onto a branch to hang the mache hive. The branch shook a bit but Jim continued to crawl towards the end of it. He hung his beehive off the very end of the branch and admired his handiwork. 

“Jim, come down now,” called Pam. Jim moved to back away toward the trunk of the tree but the branch cracked and fell from underneath Jim. 

Dwight launched forward to catch Jim, who hit three branches on his way down. He managed to catch Jim in his arms before he hit the ground and did more damage.

“Oww,” complained Jim. “Dwight! Did you catch me?” Jim looked at Dwight in a way Dwight had never seen him look at him before.

“Yeah, I did! You need to be more careful Jim, what the hell were you thinking? Are you hurt anywhere?” Jim flexed his arms and neck to show that he didn’t sustain any injuries. However, when attempting to kick his legs out he felt stinging on his thigh. He looked to examine it and found a ton of blood where he cut his thigh deeply on one of the branches. 

“I’m bleeding out of my thigh,” said Jim. Dwight checked to confirm and sighed. Jim would probably need stitches. 

“Pam, run ahead and tell Jim’s mom what happened, I’m going to carry him back.” Pam did as she was told, with Roy following behind her. Dwight trailed behind slowly, doing his best not to drop Jim onto the dusty road. Andy grabbed Jim’s things from under the tree and awkwardly followed.

“You’re gonna be in so much trouble, Halpert. You should be lucky you didn’t break anything,” said Dwight. He shrugged his arms trying to get a better grip on Jim.

“It’s because of you that I didn’t break my leg. You’re my hero, Dwight!”

“Oh please. I did what any citizen would have done. I couldn’t let a pre-teen fall out of a tree to his certain death.”

“And that makes you a hero!” Jim threw his arms around Dwight’s neck and hugged him. Dwight scoffed and shook his head trying to dislodge Jim’s tight grip. Jim snuggled in closer.

“No, I’m just a concerned citizen. No need to thank me.”

“I love you,” said Jim out of the blue. “Do you love me back?”

“Did you hit your head on the way down, or is the blood loss making you delusional?”

“Just answer me, Dwight.” Dwight huffed and said, “Yeah, I love you too. Are you happy now?”

“Good, you should! Now when we’re older you have to ask me to marry you!” 

Dwight almost dropped Jim flat on his butt. “Jim, what are you talking about? I’m not marrying you, I meant I love you like a brother. I couldn’t marry you anyway, it isn’t even legal.” 

“Well, I love you since you’re always so nice to me. You’re mean and rude to everyone else. Doesn’t that mean you love me too?”

“Yeah, I love you like I love Fannie, or Jeb, or Mose. Not romantically.” Jim looked hurt at that as if Dwight deflecting his confession caused him more pain than the deep gash on his leg did. Jim fought against Dwight, no longer wanting to be held by him. “Jim, you’re gonna get dirt in your wound if I put you down. Then it’ll get infected. Just calm down, alright?”

“No! You said you don’t love me!” 

“Ugh, fine! If it ever becomes possible then I promise to marry you. There! Does that please you?” 

Jim nodded his head furiously. “Andy! Remember this moment,” yelled Jim. “Dwight Kurt Schrute has promised to marry me and make me Jim Schrute! You can’t take it back either, I will remember forever!” Andy nodded beside them, and Dwight totally forgot he was there due to Jim’s theatrics.

“You don’t want to keep your last name,” Dwight asked, momentarily amused. 

“No, I want to be a Schrute, because you guys are awesome and my family is lame; you always say so!” Dwight chuckled. They approached Dwight’s farmhouse where Jim’s mother was waiting for the three of them, furious. She pulled Jim out of Dwight’s arms fast and examined for injuries. Once she spotted the wound she screamed into the house for someone to call an ambulance. Dwight watched the mayhem unfold passively. He was instead wrapped up in the promise he made to Jim. Dwight had nothing to worry about, the chance of gay marriage ever becoming legal was slim to none. Besides, Jim couldn’t remember what he did last week, no way he’d remember this promise. He’d eventually grow out of this phase and meet some nice girl he’d settle down with. Dwight did his best to ignore how his chest tightened at the thought.

Naturally, Jim and Dwight drifted apart. Dwight was older than Jim by almost five years and found it increasingly hard to have the same interests as the boy. Jim, for his part, started to make more friends and no longer had the time to tail Dwight around like he used to. Their families were as close as ever, still having their weekly dinners which served as the only time Jim and Dwight ever saw each other anymore. Neither hated the other, it was just hard when they were in different stages of their lives.

Dwight was a few months into his senior year of high school. He wasn’t necessarily popular but had a tight-knit friend group that kept him from being a total outcast. He had his best friends Michael and Angela, and his other friends Stanley, Meredith, Phyllis, Kevin, and Oscar. He still wore his fake glasses, liking the way they looked on him. The nerd trend was in, and the look along with his overall demeanor afforded him quite a few girlfriends. He mostly focused on getting into college. Dwight was sure he wanted to study engineering at the Pennsylvania State University. It was a good school, and all of his friends planned on going there. So he was concerned with college applications and scholarship profiles and fretting over whether he’d hear back early action or have to wait until March. He was concerned with the old car he was trying to restore, and if he could finish the task before the winter came. He was concerned with helping at his family’s farm slash bed and breakfast on the weekends. He was concerned about Michael and making sure his attention-seeking stunts didn’t get them both killed. He was mostly concerned about Angela, and her rare but cute laugh, and the curves of her body, and how she’d potential fit against him. He wasn’t worried about Jim.

Jim was mostly concerned with acclimating to high school and finding his thing. Both he and Pam stopped wearing their glasses, opting for contacts instead. Jim was popular amongst the freshmen, his tall good looks and easy-going personality winning people over. His pranking took on a new life in the form of verbal jokes and manipulations. They were harmless enough, Jim talking classmates and peers he found extremely annoying into doing things to embarrass themselves. Otherwise, he was very helpful to the point that students begged him to be class president, something he was too lazy for. He still wasn’t overly talkative, but also not the social recluse he had been in elementary and middle school. He kept the same close friend group comprising of Pam, Roy, and Andy, but added other freshmen by the names of Ryan, Kelly, Darryl, and Erin to his circle. He played sports, mostly basketball, although he wasn’t committed to them. Instead, he preferred creative writing and science, and Dwight thought he could make a career out of the latter. Until one night after dinner, when Jim cornered him.

“Dwight, I’m failing algebra! Can you help me?” Dwight looked down at Jim, who still wasn’t quite his height. Algebra 1 was painfully easy to the point that he couldn’t believe Jim was actually failing it. However, Jim pulled his latest test from his backpack showing a forty-three percent on top. If he were getting these grades consistently then yeah, he was failing.

“Jim, it’s mid-October. How’d you let it get so bad?” Dwight really didn’t have the free time to help Jim study. But if he didn’t then Jim would fail the class and potentially out of school if he couldn’t grasp the other math courses. He sighed and said, “I’ll ask Angela if she can help, she’s better at math than me.” Jim shook his head furiously. Dwight always got the impression that Jim didn’t like Angela, but he wasn’t sure why. 

“No! Why can’t you help me?” Dwight sighed again, not wanting to hear Jim’s whining. He always managed to save that side of himself for Dwight. 

“I’m busy, okay? The only time I could help you is on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5, but you have basketball practice.”

“I’ll quit,” Jim said eagerly. While shocking it was the correct response in Dwight’s book. He wouldn’t be allowed to play anyway if he failed algebra.

“Okay. I’ll come to your place and tutor you. I hope we can get you up to a C plus before the semester ends, or you’ll be in deep shit with your parents.” 

Jim nodded and said, “Right. And let’s not tell them about this, I don’t want to disappoint them.” Jim gave Dwight a brief hug before going back to the dining room.

Jim was hopeless at math! They had been at this for a month and Jim wasn’t getting any better. Dwight had to constantly explain the same concepts to him over and over again, and even then Jim would still get the practice problems wrong! He wasn’t even trying, and instead spent the time trying to get Dwight to watch YouTube videos with him, or prying into his life. It was like Jim didn’t want to pass.

“Dwight, what are you going to study in college? You’re going to Penn State right?” 

“I hope I am. That’s where I applied. And I’ll be studying either agricultural or environmental engineering.” Jim’s demeanor shifted a bit, only really noticeable to Dwight. 

“Oh. I was looking into engineering too. Is Penn State a good school for it?” The last time they spoke about this Jim wanted to be either a playwright or songwriter for theatre shows. He occasionally fielded chemistry as a potential career. The first two sounded dumb and impractical to Dwight, not to mention a bit gay. But it was a good thing if Jim wanted to do engineering. Chemical engineering wasn’t a bad field to go in, but it required math, something Jim still sucked at.

“It is. But you should worry about the here and now, like passing algebra. No school will take you if you fail.”

“Right.” Jim was still distracted and was frankly wasting both of their time. 

“Is there something else you wanted to ask, Jim?”

“Why Penn State? Is it because Angela’s going there?” The question felt very charged in Dwight’s opinion. He wasn’t sure what Jim wanted him to say, but most days he wasn’t sure what Jim wanted at all.

“Yeah. Everyone’s going there. Angela, Oscar, Meredith, Stanley, Phyllis. Maybe Kevin, maybe Michael.”

“Is she your girlfriend?”

“Hmm, I’m working on it.” Jim looked disgusted and scooted away from Dwight. Dwight snorted. He turned his full attention to Jim now, algebra homework forgotten.

“And what about you? Are you interested in anyone? What about Pam?” This time Jim snorted.

“She just started dating Roy.” There was a hint of bitterness in Jim’s voice, but Dwight couldn’t tell what it was from. “And Andy and Erin like each other, and Ryan and Kelly are dating. Darryl is even talking to a girl at a different school. Everyone is with someone except for me.”

“What about Karen Filippelli? I see you with her a lot.” Jim’s face became disinterested at the mention of Karen. Dwight couldn’t understand why, she was pretty, smart, and a cheerleader. She seemed perfect, and she was all over Jim.

“She’s my lab partner for bio. I get the feeling she likes me, but I told her no.”

“I thought you wanted someone?”

“Not her.” They sat in silence, Jim scrolling through his timeline and avoiding Dwight’s stare. “Can I tell you something,” he asked. Dwight sighed, they talked a lot and gotten nothing done.

“Later. Let’s study for now.” 

Dwight had gotten a letter back from Penn State saying he was accepted to the engineering school! He was happy he applied early action, it made the process easier for him. The Schrutes and Halperts went out to a fancy restaurant to celebrate, everyone extremely proud of him. Everyone except Jim, who sat silent the entire night. Whatever, Dwight had gotten into the engineering school and Angela the business school. He wasn’t going to let Jim’s toxic mood ruin his night.

The next day a few of the teachers congratulated him, having heard the good news. One of them was Mrs. Bennett, the algebra teacher. “Congrats son, I’m glad to hear you got in!” 

Dwight politely thanked her before asking, “How’s Jim Halpert doing? I know he was struggling in the class, but has he made any improvements? I’ve been trying to help him but I’m not sure if it helped.” 

Mrs. Bennett looked at him funnily. “Jim Halpert? Struggling? He has the highest grade out of all the freshmen in this class! Over one hundred percent because I give out so much extra credit to help his knucklehead peers!” Dwight was shocked. He had seen the bad grades he had gotten, and how he struggled to solve problems. What was the truth?

“Was he ever struggling? Because I’ve been tutoring him for the last month and a half because he said he needed help!” 

Mrs. Bennett shrugged. “Well, he lied. In fact, he helps tutor other students during class.” Mrs. Bennett pointed inside the classroom where Jim was bent over a girl’s desk, trying to help her. “He’s so good that we want him to skip straight to pre-calc. We’ve tested his aptitude, and there’s no reason for him to even take Geometry or Algebra 2! He could be on the AP track soon enough!” Dwight didn’t want to hear it about how good a student Jim was though. He was nothing but a liar and a time-waster. 

Jim happened to look up and saw Dwight staring intensely at him. All of the color drained from his face and he slowly moved away from the girl. He dipped out of the second door in the back of the classroom and ran down the hall. Dwight followed after him. After chasing him for what felt like forever Dwight caught up to Jim. He grabbed him by his shoulders and slammed him into the nearest set of lockers.

“What the fuck Jim?!”

“I’m sorry!” Sorry wasn’t good enough in Dwight’s book. He wanted to know why Jim wasted his time like that, for nearly two months.

“Are you dumb? Did you think I’d never ask? Or see your report card grade? You’re fucking selfish Jim!” Jim tried squirming out of Dwight’s grasp to no avail. Dwight slammed him back on the lockers again, drawing a yelp from Jim.

“Dwight, you’re hurting me,” Jim whispered instead of offering up an answer. Dwight gripped him even tighter, the pads of his fingers digging into the top of Jim’s arms. It was petty and cruel, but wasn’t Jim? He kept him from doing things he needed to do, like study or hang out with his friends.

“You’re such a jackass, Jim. Why would you purposely waste my time like that? I told you I was busy and you still went out of your way to lie about needing tutoring. I could have been hanging out with my friends but instead, I had to babysit you! Where’d you even get the fake tests?”

“I forged them.” Dwight dug his nails into Jim’s arms until he could feel skin breaking underneath a couple. 

“Why?”

“Because you never hang out with me anymore,” Jim said lamely. Of course, this was about Jim’s jealousy. He had always been this way, he hated when he wasn’t the center of attention. Jeb, Mose, Roy, Angela. He was pissy about all of his friends dating now. No one was paying attention to him so he pulled stupid stunts like this. He honestly couldn’t stand Jim right now.

“I shouldn’t have to! I hang out with you once a week, why isn’t that enough! I have other friends and things I need to commit time to, everything isn’t about you Jim!”

“Having a family dinner doesn’t count! We don’t talk to each other, we don’t see each other outside of the dining room. You’ve changed a lot, it’s like you don’t like me anymore.” 

Dwight released Jim and said, “No, I don’t think I do,” before walking away.

Dwight observed Jim at lunch a week later. They only had a few more days until Christmas and everyone was in high spirits, except for Jim. He sat with his friends at lunch but seemed far removed from them. All of the couples were huddled together, lost in their own worlds. Darryl kept his face in his phone, probably texting his girlfriend. Jim was hunched over his lunch, picking at it sadly.

Dwight didn’t want to feel bad for Jim, because he was a jealous, moody child. But he did. He guessed Jim acted less out of jealousy and malicious intent, and more out of loneliness? That still didn’t give him the right to lie to Dwight for months. But would he have done the same thing if he were as lonely as Jim must have felt? They were friends, and Dwight could understand why Jim would try to cling to him. They hadn’t been hanging out as much, and Dwight was supposed to be Jim’s best friend. But they were in different stages of their lives, and Dwight wouldn’t even be here in nine months. What did Jim want from him?

He sighed and texted Jim, telling him to come sit with him and his friends for lunch. Dwight watched as Jim checked his phone before putting it back and resting his head on the table, lunch long forgotten. He really didn’t know what Jim wanted from him.

Jim didn’t come to dinner that week and instead hid in his room. “I’m sorry, Jim’s been really angsty as of late,” said his mother. “It must be puberty or something.” Dwight could only hope so.

The Schrutes and the Halperts didn’t always spend Christmas together, although they would this year. However, Angela’s family invited Dwight to come to their cabin in the Allegheny Mountains. It was an offer he couldn’t refuse, so he went. He wasn’t sure what his family got up to over the break, but he ended his with Angela officially as his girlfriend.

Jim didn’t bother eating lunch with his friends when the new year started, which worried Dwight. He hadn’t had a conversation with the boy since he blew up at him before break. Dwight got up from his lunch table and walked over to where the freshmen sat.

“Where’s Jim,” he asked Pam. 

“In the library! He said he wanted to be left alone, so he went there.”

“Every day?” Pam nodded.

“I’ve tried to get him to come here, but he doesn’t want to. I think he’s mad at me, but he won’t tell me what I did!” Dwight rolled his eyes and walked away. He went upstairs to the library, where he found Jim in the corner with a book. He sat in the darkest part of the library, obviously not wanting to be bothered. He hoped Jim wasn’t reverting back to his anti-social ways, he did a good job of putting himself out there during the first semester.

“What’s wrong with you,” Dwight asked. Jim looked up from his book but said nothing. Dwight tried again. “I heard you’re taking pre-calc this semester. Congrats, I didn’t take that until my junior year.”

“None of my friends are in it,” was Jim’s reply.

“That’s fine, you’ll have other opportunities to see them, like at lunch. Why don’t you eat with them?”

“I dunno, I feel like a third wheel. It’s awkward. I’d rather be alone.” 

“Why? Because everyone is dating? Are you really that sad about it? Why don’t you try dating, I’m sure you’d have no trouble finding a girlfriend.” Dwight had overheard numerous freshmen, sophomores, and a few juniors talk about how hot Jim was. It seemed his depressed demeanor was a turn on for most of the girls, making him more popular than he was the first semester. It was weird though, hearing people talk about his little buddy as being hot or sexy. Jim was still a child, and Dwight just couldn’t see it.

“I don’t like them,” said Jim angrily. “They always bother and harass me! I don't know how many times I have to tell people no! I hate it here.”

“Well, you’re gonna be a third wheel unless you open yourself up to dating. I don’t know what more to tell you.”

“I hate high school. I don’t want to come back next year. I want to be homeschooled.” Dwight raised his eyebrows in concern. That wasn’t what he was expecting to hear. 

“Why? You’re doing well, your grades are great, and everyone loves you. What’s your problem?” Jim looked at him for a long time before speaking.

“Everyone here is mean. It’s always about putting others down or bullying others to make themselves feel better. No one really likes me, it’s about whether I can help them with their homework, or tutor them, or if I can play this sport and help the team out, or if I can date her and help make her popular. The people I care about are otherwise preoccupied and I just feel that I’m being left behind and I don’t know how to play catch up. I have to be something I’m not to please others, and I hate it!”

Dwight was sick of Jim’s whining. “No one’s bullying you, Jim. You don’t even know what that means. I was bullied because I didn’t fit in and I was too nerdy for most people. Oscar is bullied because he’s homosexual. Michael is bullied because he’s weird. Kevin is bullied because he’s fat. That’s real bullying, the fact that you don’t want to get up in the morning because you’re afraid of what awaits you at school. You don’t deal with that. You’re not being bullied because you’re cookie-cutter conventional. Instead of trying to make the best of what you’ve got your crying over hypothetical situations that don’t exist. And for the last time, no one owes you their time, you jealous brat! I don’t care how angsty or bitter you get. Grow up!”

Jim looked like he had something he wanted to say but instead chucked the book in his hand at Dwight’s head. He stormed off, leaving a shocked Dwight behind.

Dwight didn’t talk to Jim for the rest of the year. If the boy still had any expressed doubts over high school then he kept them to himself. He started sitting with his friends at lunch again although he still looked uncomfortable. He didn’t rejoin the basketball team but instead started running cross country. Dwight ran cross country too, but they did their best to avoid one another. Jim even started dating Karen, although he caused quite a stir when he abruptly dumped her during a class trip to New York. Overall Jim was having a good high school experience, at least on the outside. 

He found Jim talking to Oscar a few times, but he was never sure what was up with that. They didn’t take any classes together, nor were they in the same clubs. Whenever Dwight approached the two Jim would storm away, annoyed. It seemed that “moody little bitch” was less of a side effect of puberty and more like Jim’s default personality. Whatever, Jim wasn’t his problem anymore so he didn’t ask Oscar about what they talked about.

Their families still had dinner together, but Dwight stopped going. Instead, he had dinner with the Martins. They were nice people if a bit judgemental. It was to be expected, Angela came from a long line of ministers. He loved Angela and could see himself being with her forever. She was lovely, and while she had a mean streak she was nice to him. That’s how he knew she was the one. Plus she was hot, smart, and firm; he knew she’d make a good Schrute. 

The Halperts came over on the eve of prom to take pictures of Dwight and Angela and see them off. Jim accompanied them, looking like he’d rather be elsewhere. He took pictures of the couple, mostly because his parents forced him to. Dwight got the feeling that their families were trying to force a reconciliation, but Dwight honestly wanted nothing to do with him. He could tell it was the same for Jim.

“Jim! Now you take a picture with Dwight! Stand next to him,” said Jim’s dad. Jim shook his head.

“Why would I do that, I don’t give two shits about Dwight’s prom!”

“Jim, do it!” He huffed and stood next to Dwight, as far as could without being out of frame.

“Get closer. Dwight put your arm around Jim’s shoulder. Smile!” They did so so the awkward moment could be over faster. Dwight looked at the photo later; from an outsider's perspective, the two still looked like close friends. He scoffed and hoped the Halperts wouldn’t print it off.

Jim didn’t bother coming to Dwight’s graduation or his going away party. That was fine with Dwight; he had grown to resent the boy as much as he resented Dwight. So he was shocked when he found a gift later that night addressed to him from Jim. There was a note on top that simply said I’m sorry in Jim’s handwriting. His parents must have brought it with them because he hadn’t seen Jim at all.

He ripped off the wrapping and found a photo album. He opened it. The first picture was of a young Dwight holding a newborn Jim. He was scowling down at Jim while Jim foamed at the mouth. The pictures were of the two of them, growing up together. Some of them were vacations, while others were from them hanging around Scranton. There were close to a hundred pictures, and a DVD with some videos of them. The final picture was the one they took the night of Dwight’s prom a few months ago. Dwight pulled it out of the album to toss out as it didn’t belong with all of their other happy memories. However, he noticed something written on the back of the picture.

Dwight,

I’m sorry I’ve been such a jerk. I shouldn’t have thrown a book at your head, that was mean. I’ve just been dealing with a lot lately and I’ve been having a hard time processing it. That’s not an excuse though. I’m sorry I kept bothering you too, I guess I did want your attention. I hope Penn State is fun for you. Good luck!

Jim

Dwight didn’t know what to say. He slotted the picture back where it came from and looked at the album again. There was a picture of a skiing trip their families took when they were younger, with baby Jim dressed like a star. Dwight bit back a laugh. There was a picture of Dwight and Jim both wearing their new glasses. A picture of Dwight trying to teach Jim how to ride a bike. A picture of them trick or treating, Dwight dressed as a Sith Lord and Jim a pumpkin. A picture of Dwight and Jim bathing together, Dwight looking over it while Jim grinned at the camera. A picture of Dwight in a hospital bed with Jim, after he had to get a fuck ton of stitches on his leg. Dwight smiled again. Jim had been grounded when they got to the hospital, all of his friends sent home. He begged his mom to let Dwight stay though, and he did. He ended up staying in that bed with Jim until he fell asleep and the hospital kicked him out.

He thought about the events leading up to them taking Jim to the hospital. Jim trying to climb a tree like a dumbass. The beehive Jim made, set to explode when Larissa got too close. Having to carry Jim back half a mile. Jim looking up at him with so much love that it made Dwight momentarily uncomfortable. Jim telling Dwight he loved him, and Dwight saying Ugh, fine! If it ever becomes possible then I promise to marry you. There! Does that please you?

Dwight put the album down and grabbed his phone. Oh yeah, he had promised Jim he’d marry him. Luckily Jim forgot all about that incident, just as Dwight assumed he would. He’d never have to keep that promise anyway, gay marriage wasn’t legal and neither of them were gay. 

Still, he couldn’t let things end on a sour note between them. Jim had apologized to him, which was very grown-up of him to do. Dwight now needed to apologize, because on further reflection he hadn’t been particularly kind to Jim either. Jim was going through something, and he had written him off, even when Jim tried reaching out in his weird way. He texted Jim.

Dwight: Meet me at the IHOP near the expressway tomorrow morning at 7 am.

Dwight was leaving at 11 am, which gave him plenty of time to air out his grievances with Jim. Hopefully, they could move past this.

Dwight popped the DVD into his laptop and watched it. As he suspected it was a ton of home videos spliced together. The clip that stuck out the most was one of him forcing Jim to walk. Not only was he the catalyst to Jim’s first steps, his name had been the boy’s first words too. It was so sweet to the point it brought tears to Dwight’s eyes. They had a lot of history, and Dwight really couldn’t let it end this way. 

He checked his phone again and saw he had a text from Jim.

Jim: Okay

They’d work this out.

Dwight was so exhausted from the night before that he didn’t realize he overslept his alarm. 9:30 am the bright letters flashed. He ricocheted upwards; he was two hours late to his meeting with Jim. He tried calling Jim, but he wouldn’t pick up. He texted him, but Jim left him on unread. Jim was obviously upset with him, and he had every right to be. Dwight just botched his apology, and there was nothing he could do.

He got up somberly and began getting ready. He drove to the Martin household, where he was picking up Angela. He helped her put her bags in the trunk of his truck before pulling off. He had to get Michael and Oscar next.

“What’s this,” asked Angela, looking at the photo album Jim had given him.

“Jim made it for me, as an apology for the last year.”

“That’s generous of him. Did you accept it?”

“I...I was supposed to meet him this morning for breakfast, to talk you know, and I overslept. He won’t answer my calls or texts.” Angela tsked, more as a reaction to Jim’s childish behavior. 

“He’s being childish, he knew you weren’t standing him up. He could have called and checked. I wouldn’t be surprised if his parents put him up to it.” Angela shook the book in her hands.

“He’s fourteen. And maybe he didn’t. If he had done the same to me then I would assume it was out of spite too.”

Michael and Oscar lived in the same subdivision, making retrieving them easy. “What’s this,” Michael asked as he and Oscar climbed into the truck.

“A photo album Jim made for me.” Both Oscar and Michael perked up at this. They had both expressed their opinions on the dissolution of Dwight and Jim’s friendship, saying Dwight should try to reach out to him again. Neither thought the lie about failing math was that big of a deal either. A bit weird, yeah, but in all the years they knew Jim he always had a penchant for theatrics; it just added up.

“Are you guys friends again? This is a nice gift,” asked Michael hopefully.

“No...I kind of stood him up today. Now he’s ignoring me. I feel bad now, I really didn’t consider he was having a hard time in school, I thought he was just being a crybaby. He told me he wanted to drop out and I told him to shut up,” admitted Dwight.

“You still have time you know,” said Oscar. “We could turn around and you can at least say sorry. Do you really think you can leave without it?” Dwight debated it. Being an hour late for check-in wouldn’t be the worst thing ever. Dwight turned the truck around and drove to the Halpert household.

He jumped out of the car and ran up the stairs to the door. He banged on it loudly, hoping Jim would answer. He did. When he noticed Dwight he moved to close it back, but Dwight stuck his foot between the doors so Jim couldn’t.

“Leave me alone, Dwight!”

“Jim, I’m so sorry. I overslept, I wasn’t trying to set you up. I’m sorry.”

“You’re an asshole and I don’t believe you. I had to catch the bus there, and then I sat there like an idiot for two hours before I realized you weren’t coming! Then I had to catch the bus back like a loser.”

“Jim, I really overslept! I tried calling you but you wouldn’t answer. I wouldn’t bother coming here now if I was setting you up.” Jim begrudgingly allowed Dwight inside the house.

“I forgot my phone at home, I was kind of in a rush to catch the bus,” Jim admitted embarrassed. Dwight smiled at him lightly and took a seat on the couch. Jim followed him. 

“What did you want to talk about? I don’t wanna hold you up,” said Jim looking at Dwight’s truck out of the window.

“I’m sorry. I should have been there for you during the school year. Instead, I was an asshole. I don’t want our friendship to end because of it.”

“It’s fine, and I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have lied to you! I shouldn’t have gotten upset at you either. You’re right, school isn’t that bad, I just need to suck it up.” Dwight leaned over and hugged Jim, who returned it. 

“Can we be friends again,” Dwight asked. Jim nodded.

“Are you gonna call me while you’re at school? Don’t forget me!” 

“I swear I won’t. I’ll call you as much as you want me to.”

“Everyday then. I wanna hear all about college and how fun it is!” 

“Will do. You have to tell me if you’re having a hard time too, I’ll drive back and kick anyone’s ass if they bother you. I’m serious.” 

Jim laughed and said, “How? I think I’d have to save you.”

“Please, you’re a bag of bones Halpert, while I have my awesome karate skills. Obviously, I have to protect you.”

Jim walked Dwight back to the door. He stared at Dwight forlornly before saying, “Dwight, can I tell you something?”

Dwight opened his mouth to reply, but the horn of his truck went off repeatedly. Angela was rushing him out. Dwight smiled at Jim and said, “Can you text me? Or I’ll call you when I settle in tonight. I’m in a bit of a rush.”

Jim looked crestfallen but smiled tightly. “That’s fine too.”

Jim did text, but Dwight never got around to calling, too caught up in the whirlwind that was his freshman year.