Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Ridoc Gamlyn was the king of campus.

He would be the first one to tell you this, but he wasn’t just being cocky. Everyone who knew him agreed with this assessment. Anyone who didn’t know him didn’t take long to be convinced.

Ridoc was so well-loved that a handmade card made by his fellow Basgiath service fraternity members made its way across campus slowly because so many people wanted to sign it. It didn’t matter what they were doing - practicing cheers, making out with their significant others, sweating at the gym - everyone made time to put their name on the campus king’s card.

When the last person finally sealed the card in its envelope, they slid it under Ridoc’s door at Basgiath house. Since he was occupied on the phone, his dog Aotrom helpfully picked it up from the floor and trotted towards his owner.

Ridoc, with his dark brown skin and floppy dark brown hair, was dressed impeccably in a stylish pink polo from Lacoste, dark AG Jeans, and clean sneakers from Common Projects. A classic leather belt from Prada and a sleek watch from Michael Kors rounded out his look.

“I love you, too,” Ridoc said into the phone, the smile on his face making him look even more sweet and beautiful than usual. “I’ll see you soon.”

When he hung up, he let out a squeak of joy and scooped Aotrom into his arms. When he leaned down to kiss Aotrom on the head, he finally noticed the card sticking out between his dog’s teeth.

“What’s this?” Ridoc asked as he opened the envelope and then the card. “Dain and Ridoc forever. Awww.” Aotrom barked, and Ridoc smiled at him. “Let’s go say thanks, shall we?”

Downstairs, a Basgiath barbecue was in full swing. Countless college students drank their beer and mingled, most of them trying to figure out who they were going to sleep with next. The main wall of the living room displayed photos of Basigath girls and boys, with Ridoc smiling from a Hawaiian Tropic ad and a Mr. June USC calendar photo. Also on the wall were photos of Ridoc’s best friends - Violet Sorrengial on the cover of an Italian Vogue, and Rhiannon Matthias in a pom-pom pose on a USC cheerleader poster.

Ridoc passed the wall without notice, running straight toward Violet and Rhiannon with card in hand. He said, “You guys are so sweet! But I’m not positive it’s gonna happen tonight –”

Rhiannon interrupted him with a huff. “Helloo…he just had lunch with his grandmother. You know he got the rock.”

“Why else would she have flown in from wherever the hell country club she came from?” Violet added. “It’s not like she’d FedEx a six carat diamond.”

Ridoc squeezed Aotrom closer to his chest in an attempt to keep his excitement in check. “You think?”

Rhiannon just responded, “I can’t believe you’re getting engaged!?”

The three of them jumped up and down, squealing and hugging each other. Aotrom threw in some happy barks as well.

Suddenly, Ridoc stopped and grabbed Rhiannon’s arm with his free hand. “Oh my gosh. You two have to help me pick out the perfect outfit.”

Both girls nodded, not even caring about the fact that they would be missing the party. A shopping trip was necessary. Immediately.

About forty five minutes later, Violet and Rhiannon watched as Ridoc stood in front of a mirror, trying on a white Tom Forde suit that fit him impeccably and accentuated his attractive physique.

“Too demure?” Ridoc asked, turning from left to right to ensure he got a good look at every angle.

“I think you should wear the red top underneath,” Violet observed. “It’s the color of confidence.”

Rhiannon shook her head, holding up a shiny pink dress shirt. “I don’t understand why you’re completely disregarding your signature color.”

Ridoc grabbed the shirt and examined it, brown furrowed as he thought about it. Then he shook his head. “He’s proposing. I can’t look like I would on any date. This is the date. The night I’ll always remember. I want to look special. Bridal…but not like I suspect anything.”

Across the store, a saleswoman watched the group with an evil smirk on her face. She turned toward her coworkers and said, “There’s nothing I love more than a dumb frat boy with daddy’s plastic.”

The saleswoman grabbed a suit off the Clearance Sale rack, ripping off the tag that read HALF PRICE. She approached the trio confidently, a kiss-ass smile on her face, and said, “Did you see this one? We just got it in yesterday.”

Ridoc fingered the suit, eyed the new price tag, and looked back at the saleswoman. He asked excitedly, “Is this a low-viscosity rayon?”

The saleswoman blinked. It took her only a second to recover and respond, “Uh, yes.”

Ridoc continued, “With half-loop topstitching on the hem?”

The saleswoman plastered an even bigger smile on her face. “Absolutely. It’s one of a kind.”

Ridoc handed the suit back to her, his smile gone and his eyes hard. He said, sounding more than a little annoyed, “It’s impossible to use a half-loop topstitch on low-viscosity rayon. It would snag the fabric. And you didn’t just get this in, because I remember it from the June Men’s Vogue a year ago. So if you’re trying to sell it to me at full price, you picked the wrong guy.”

The saleswoman looked stunned. With nothing else to say, she slinked off, embarrassed, while Violet and Rhiannon gave her mean smirks.

“Nice try,” Violet shot at the saleswoman as she passed her.

Ridoc shook his head and turned back to the mirror as he slipped on his John Lobb loafers. Giving himself one last mirror check, he smoothed his hair out of his eyes and said, “Girls, this is it. In a few hours, I’ll be the future Mr. Dain Aetos.”

Later that evening, Dain Aetos himself rang the doorbell of the Basgiath house. Ridoc, already waiting in the foyer with Violet and Rhiannon, peeked through the peephole to confirm that his boyfriend had arrived. Seeing that it was Dain, Ridoc smoothed down his new suit, took a deep breath, and pulled open the door.

Dain Aetos looked Ridoc up from head to toe, a smile spreading across his face. Dain was tall, chiseled, and outrageously handsome with tan skin, striking sandy-brown eyes and light-brown curls. His strong, calloused hands grasped a bouquet of flowers, which he quickly handed to Ridoc. He leaned forward to kiss Ridoc on the chee, his trimmed beard brushing lightly along Ridoc’s jawline as his full lips placed a chaste peck on his face.

As he pulled away, Dain said, “You’re beautiful.”

Ridoc beamed up at him, blushing and completely smitten, his face alight with devotion. “So are you.”

“You ready?” Dain asked.

Ridoc took a deep breath in and grinned. “I am so ready.”

The drive to the restaurant passed quickly, and as usual they never ran out of anything to talk about (mostly because Ridoc never ran out of anything to talk about ever). Dain grasped Ridoc’s thigh the entire time, which Ridoc took to be a good sign. He just couldn’t keep his hands off of him, right?

By the time the two of them were seated at a cozy table on the patio of the restaurant and Dain ordered a bottle of champagne, Ridoc was practically bursting with anticipation. As soon as the waiter poured their flutes with the bubbly drink and walked away with their dinner order, Ridoc raised his glass and said, “Here’s to us.”

Dain clinked his glass to Ridoc’s gently, although he took a slower sip of his drink than Ridoc did. After, he cleared his throat and said, “The reason I wanted to come here tonight was to discuss our future.”

Ridoc was on the edge of his seat, nodding vigorously. “And I am fully amenable to that discussion.”

Dain smiled. “I mean, we’re having a lot of fun now. But things will be different when I’m at Harvard Law school. It’s a completely different world. I’ll need to be serious.”

Ridoc forced his features into a serious expression, as if to show his boyfriend how serious he could be. “Of course.”

“My family expects a lot from me,” Dain continued. “And I expect a lot from me. I plan on running for office some day.”

Ridoc grasped Dain’s hand across the table and squeezed. He said, “And I fully support that.”

Dain nodded, but pulled his hand away. Ridoc was too nervous and excited to think about that gesture. “The thing is, if I’m gonna be a senator by the time I’m thirty, I can’t keep dicking around.”

“I completely agree.” Ridoc could barely keep from bouncing up and down. He just knew what was coming.

“That’s why I think it’s time for us to –”

Ridoc took a deep breath filled with anticipation as he spoke over the last few words of Dain’s sentence. “I DO.”

“–break up,” Dain finished at the same time.

Ridoc’s face fell immediately, as did the champagne glass he had grabbed to celebrate his last words. He blushed, completely caught off guard. Shaking his head, he asked, “What?” Perhaps he had heard wrong.

Dain frowned. “I’m sorry, Ridoc, I just–”

Nope, Ridoc must definitely not have heard wrong. He couldn’t help the tears that started to form as he said, “You’re breaking up with me?!” He paused, then said in a smaller voice that sounded just a bit defeated, “I thought you were proposing.”

Dain’s eyebrows lifted in shock. “Proposing?! Ridoc, if I’m going to be a politician I need to marry a Jackie, not a Channing.”

Ridoc looked stunned. “You’re breaking up with me because I’m too–male? Easygoing?”

“That’s not entirely–”

“Then what?” Ridoc interrupted, suddenly angry. “My dick is too big?”

Dain glanced around the restaurant nervously, noticing that people were starting to look their way. He leaned over the table and said quietly, “Ridoc, no. Your dick is fine–”

Ridoc was back to sad again. His tears were starting to fall. “So when you said you’d always love me, you were just ‘dicking around’?”

“I do love you, Ridoc,” Dain said in a tone that he probably meant to sound reassuring but only came across as condescending to Ridoc. “I just can’t marry you. You have no idea the pressure I’m under. My family has five generations of senators.”

Ridoc just stared at him aghast, tears now fully streaming down his face. Sobs racked through his body, with high-pitched whines coming out of his mouth every few breaths. Now no one on the patio was hiding the fact that they were staring, and Dain tried to nod at them as if everything was just fine.

Suddenly, Ridoc pushed his chair away from the table and walked out. Dain looked shocked, but he quickly threw down a bit of cash to cover the drinks they barely drank and the food they were abandoning. He scurried after Ridoc, but he had already lost him and couldn’t find him anywhere in the near vicinity. Dain decided to hop in his car to look for Ridoc, since there was no way he would risk ruining his new shoes on the dirty city sidewalks.

It didn’t take long for Dain to find Ridoc walking down the sidewalk a few blocks over, still sobbing. Dain pulled up alongside him in his convertible Saab, leaning casually on the passenger seat and not looking at all contrite for a man who had just broken someone’s heart.

“Come on,” Dain said. “Let me take you home.”

Ridoc said nothing, but shook his head.

“Ridoc, it’s twenty miles to campus.” Dain waited, but Ridoc still said nothing. Finally, he said, “You’ll ruin your shoes.”

Ridoc stopped to think. These were his favorite shoes, and there was no reason to lose his boyfriend and his shoes in one night. Still crying, he finally got in the car. This time, they said nothing to each other for the entire drive.

Ridoc couldn’t help but notice that the night was perfect: a good temperature with the stars shining brightly. Everything should have been perfect. But it wasn’t.

Ridoc was still in shock when Dain finally pulled in front of Basgiath house. He was still sniffing, although Dain was relieved to see that Ridoc wasn’t crying as hard as he had been at the restaurant.

Dain said, “Ridoc, believe me, I never expected to be doing this. But I think it’s the right thing to do.”

“How can it be the right thing if we’re not together?”

“I have to think about my future,” Dain explained. “And what people expect from me.”

Ridoc frowned. “So you’re breaking up with me because you’re afraid your family won’t like me?” He turned to Dain and said through a new bout of tears, “Everyone likes me!”

Dain sighed. “East Coast people are different.”

“Just because I’m not a Vanderbilt, all of a sudden I’m trash?” Ridoc asked. He huffed and said, “I grew up in Bel Air, Dain!”

“I told you, Ridoc. I need someone–” he trailed off, not sure how to finish his sentence. He decided on, “–serious.”

Ridoc whispered, “But I’m seriously in love with you. Isn’t that enough?”

Dain just looked away. Ridoc continued to stare at him, hoping Dain would turn back to him and tell him that this was a big mistake. But he didn’t. So eventually, Ridoc slowly got out of the car without a word. He dragged himself up the stairs to his house, still certain that there was time for Dain to change his mind. When he got to the top of the stairs, he turned back to look at the car, his perfect cheekbones highlighted by the streetlamp. Dain met his eyes, pained but determined. Then he pulled away, leaving Ridoc there alone and devastated.

Chapter Text

The sun rose and fell, again and again, and yet it was never a good day for Ridoc.

He played “Hopelessly Devoted” on repeat for three days straight. He constantly flipped through all of the photos he had of him and Dain: the Basgiath formal, a 70s party, Mardi Gras night, a beach weekend at Coronado. He kept opening the book where he had pressed Ecuadorian pink roses from their one year anniversary, then closing it, then opening it again. Ridoc refused to change out of Dain’s oversized USC sweatshirt, and more often than not he had the teddy bear Dain had won for him at a carnival clutched to his chest.

In short, Ridoc was depressed. And even worse, he looked like hell.

Aotrom was his only company, but that didn’t stop Ridoc from confiding in his dog. “I just love him so much! I loved him the first moment I saw him. He’s beautiful and smart and someone I totally respect. I did everything I could to make him love me, but it wasn’t enough. Now what am I supposed to do? I planned my whole future around him. My life was going to be all about Dain. Now what’s it going to be about?”

Ridoc waited for an answer, but Aotrom just stared back at him sadly. Sighing, Ridoc grabbed Aotrom and hugged him, dropping the teddy bear in favor of a real animal. He plopped onto his bed and turned on the TV, switching channels until he found a soap opera that usually distracted him. Hoping this would work to clear his mind and his heart, he snuggled in with Aotrom and reached for the bag of chocolate he kept in his dresser drawer.

But almost immediately, a character on the TV promised, “I’ll love you forever,” and Ridoc groaned. He threw the chocolates at the TV and said, “Bullshit! You’re a liar!”

Right at that moment, Violet and Rhiannon opened the door. Rhiannon was holding a drink carrier with smoothies from the trio’s favorite place on campus. They both stopped in their tracks when they saw the state that Ridoc and his room was in.

Violet sighed. “Ridoc, stop! You have to leave this room. It’s been a week.”

“So?” Ridoc asked.

Rhiannon sat down on the edge of the bed. She smiled, clearly trying to psyche Ridoc up, and said, “What’s the thing that always makes us feel better no matter what?”

Ridoc answered immediately, “Blow jobs.” Then he let out a wail, realizing something else that he would miss now that Dain had broken up with him.

Rhiannon rolled her eyes. “No. What’s your favorite place in the whole wide world?”

Ridoc cocked his head in thought. Finally, with a little bit more of the usual swagger that he was known for, he said, “The climbing gym?”

Rhiannon and Violet grinned at him, heads bobbing up and down in the affirmative.

With the climbing gym on the table, it didn’t take long for Ridoc to get dressed and leave his room. He still didn’t look his best, but Rhiannon and Violet decided that something was better than nothing. Both the girls tried to chat with him on their drive to the upscale facility downtown (the one off campus was too small and too crowded), but they couldn’t get more than a few mumbles and grunts out of him. By the time they arrived, they were still hopeful but less certain that climbing would do the trick.

Rock Solid Climbing was the most expensive climbing gym in town, but it was the go-to spot for most of the serious climbers. Ridoc and the girls typically liked this gym more than the others because the clientele was much more fit. This not  only provided them with better eye candy, but also meant that they were able to push themselves harder and get the most out of their sweat therapy. Violet made a beeline for the lead climbing, and Rhiannon headed toward the bouldering section. 

Now that Ridoc was actually here, the prospect of using his muscles for anything besides wallowing was distinctly less appealing. Instead, he sauntered off to the small weight room that barely anyone actually used, fell onto a bench, and pulled up Dain’s Instagram account. Social media stalking was something he had been avoiding for the past week, but he decided now was a good enough time to start that part of the grieving process. 

After a few minutes of scrolling, he noticed a photo of a plain woman standing next to a man who looked like a much older version of Dain. Although Dain wasn’t in the photo, Ridoc knew that it was a photo of Dain’s parents. 

Ridoc read the caption that Dain had written out loud, “Yale Law alumni celebration. I can only hope to follow in the incredible footsteps of these two.” 

Suddenly, Ridoc gasped and shouted, “Oh my God!” An idea began to form in Ridoc’s mind.

Dain said he needed someone who was just as serious as him. And Ridoc knew exactly how he could become just that. He’d have to become a law student. 

Which is how he found himself in his advisor’s office bright and early on Monday. Ridoc’s advisor, Felix, was a large man with ebony skin and a thick silver beard. He always seemed to have a severe expression on his face. Which, of course, was why Ridoc wasn’t at all concerned about the look that came over him when he listened to Ridoc’s plan and then examined all of the files that he had pulled on Ridoc’s academic record. 

“Harvard Law School?” Felix asked skeptically.

Ridoc nodded confidently. “That’s right.”

Felix said slowly, “But it’s a top three school…”

Ridoc beamed. “Good thing I have a 4.0.”

“Yes, but your major is media production. Harvard won’t be impressed that you aced,” Felix looked down at the papers spread across his desk. “...’History of Internet Memes’. What are your backups?”

“Oh, I don’t need backups,” Ridoc said without missing a beat. His confidence hadn’t wavered one bit since he walked through Felix’s door. Since he had decided to become a lawyer, really. “Harvard is the school I’m going to.”

Felix decided to humor him. It wasn’t like he was paid enough to pick fights with students he knew he wouldn’t win. “Well, then. You’ll need excellent recommendations from your professors, one hell of an admissions essay and at least a one-seventy-five on your LSATs.”

Ridoc wasn’t intimidated in the slightest. “I once had to judge a Poromiel tighty-whitey contest. Trust me, I can handle anything.”

Felix merely shook his head and began typing up the requirements that Ridoc would need to work on for his Harvard application. Ridoc decided to start checking off the items on the list as soon as he could. He swung by the closest bookstore to purchase a stack of LSAT books and headed home to flip through them.

Ridoc had just cracked one of the large tomes open when he heard a knock at his door. Before he could even tell whoever it was to come in, Violet and Rhiannon peeked inside. They both gasped, since Ridoc wasn’t one to purposefully choose to spend his time reading books alone in his room.

“What are you doing?!” Violet asked.

Ridoc smiled brightly at them. “I’m reading about the LSATs.” Violet and Rhiannon merely looked at each other, confused. Ridoc took a deep breath and said, “Girls, I’m going to Harvard!”

“Like on vacation?” Rhiannon asked, still not certain what exactly was happening.

Violet brightened at the thought. “Let’s all go!”

Rhiannon and Violet turned to each other and screamed, “Road trip!”

Ridoc interrupted their jumping with, “No. I’m going to law school at Harvard.”

“Why?” the two girls asked in unison.

Ridoc rolled his eyes at their naivete. “Once Dain sees me as a serious law student, he’ll want me back! It’s a completely brilliant plan!”

“But,” Violet said, sounding a little worried, “it’s pretty hard to get into law school, Ridoc.”

“I have the highest GPA in Basgiath!”

Like Felix, Violet looked like she wanted to argue. And, like Felix, Violet decided it wasn’t worth her time. Rhiannon just pulled a scrunchie off her wrist and handed it to Ridoc.

“Here,” she said. “You’re gonna need this.”

Ridoc looked down at the scrunchie, then back up at his friend. “Your scrunchie?”

“My lucky scrunchie,” Rhiannon explained. “It helped me pass history.”

Violet rolled her eyes and looked at Rhiannon disapprovingly. “You passed history because you went down on Professor Tara after the final.”

“Yeah, luckily,” Rhiannon said in a duh tone.

Ridoc laughed and brought both of his best friends in for a quick hug. Then he was back to business. He would have to buckle down over the next three months if this plan was going to work.

Still, it was harder than he had expected. It only took a few weeks before he came up against his first obstacle. It was the beginning of October, and most of Basgiath house had decided to watch a horror movie, complete with popcorn and red wine. Until then, Ridoc had been good about scheduling his Harvard prep time around when everyone else was too busy to do anything fun. This movie night had been impromptu, however, and it clashed with a LSAT study session that Ridoc had planned for himself. Ridoc decided to compromise by studying in the same room, but being off to the side and unable to attempt to scare his housemates certainly put a damper on his law school plan.

Ridoc’s next obstacle: other law school hopefuls. Ridoc had decided to sign up for a LSAT Prep Course. On the first day, he strode into the room with the same swagger in which he entered any other classroom, certain he would become everyone’s favorite person by the end of the session. This was what happened in every other class, after all.

Law student hopefuls seemed to be a different breed than other students, though. They not only failed to appreciate the jokes he made throughout the first session, but they also seemed to actively dislike them! Thankfully, even they weren’t immune to his charms. By the end of the third session, Ridoc had grown on them and they were at least shaking their heads in mild amusement if not laughing out loud at his quips.

Then there was his first practice exam. It was the first thing that truly made Ridoc second-guess if he could actually make it into Harvard. Felix had said Ridoc needed a 175 on the LSAT, but despite all the fun Ridoc had been missing out on in favor of studying, he only got a 143. What was the point in being a boring stick in the mud if it wasn’t even helping?

That same night, however, Ridoc spotted Dain and some other bare-chested fraternity boys carrying a keg across the quad. Even just catching a glimpse of Dain put Ridoc back in the right mindset. Ridoc knew what he wanted, and damn if he wasn’t going to do everything in his power to get it.

Ridoc was nervous on the morning that he sat for his LSAT exam. He bounced his leg nervously as he waited for the proctor to give him the okay to start his test. But as soon as he started, his body stilled as he focused on the computer in front of him. He pushed away from the screen only a few seconds before the allotted time ended, feeling like he had done better than he had on any of his practice exams. All there was to do was wait and see - and start on his admissions essay.

Which was, at least, the one thing that came together without a hitch. As a media production major, it was a breeze for him to write a script, film it, and edit it to perfection. When he finished it, Ridoc invited everyone in Basgiath house to a private screening. Everyone came, since no one wanted to miss it. Ridoc was bouncing on his toes as he looked around at his housemates, barely able to contain himself. 

“Everyone ready?” Ridoc asked.

“Just hit play already!” Rhiannon whined. She and Violet had both asked to see the video before it was finished, but Ridoc had wanted to keep it private until the reveal.

Chuckling, Ridoc pressed play on his laptop. Immediately, his face popped up on the projector he had connected to his computer so that the video would easily be visible to everyone in the room. On the screen, Ridoc sat in a Jacuzzi in his swim trunks.

“My name is Ridoc Gamlyn,” screen Ridoc chirped. “And for my admissions essay, I’d like to tell all of you at Harvard why I’m going to make an amazing lawyer.”

The video cut to a Basgiath chapter meeting. Ridoc continued in the form of a voiceover, “As president of my service fraternity, I’m skilled at commanding the attention of a room and discussing important issues.”

Ridoc banged a gavel as he sat in front of his fraternity members. “It has come to my attention that the maintenance staff is switching our toilet paper from Charmin to generic. All those opposed to chafing, please say ‘aye’.”

The Basgiath members “ayed” in unison. Aotrom barked his approval. 

The scene changed to Ridoc floating in a raft in the pool. He addressed the camera with, “I’m able to recall hundreds of important details at the drop of a hat.”

Rhiannon floated by on a raft beside Ridoc. As she passed him, she asked, “Ridoc, do you know what happened on ‘Days of Our Lives’ yesterday?”

Ridoc, still looking at the camera, said, “Why, yes, Rhiannon, I do.” He paused, then continued in a dramatic voice, “Once again, we joined Hope in the search for her identity. As you know, she’s been brainwashed by the evil Stefano.”

The next shot was Ridoc striding down the sidewalk, Aotrom clutched to his chest. Looking at the camera, he said, “I feel confident using legal jargon in daily life.”

A random girl passed by Ridoc and slapped his ass. Ridoc gasped and shouted to the girl’s back, “I object!”

The video cut away again, this time to Ridoc running next to Violet. He said to the camera, “I’m totally focused and goal-oriented. Plus I’m able to sway people with my very convincing arguments.” He turned to Violet and said, “"The decline of high-five culture is ruining human connection. Think about it: a solid, well-timed high-five is the ultimate expression of camaraderie, energy, and pure joy. But with everyone glued to their phones or awkwardly opting for fist bumps, we’re losing the magic! Let’s bring back the high-five revolution. Don’t you agree?"

Violet was convinced. “Absolutely!” The two high-fived while running, which Ridoc thought was impressive in and of itself.

Finally, video Ridoc stood up in the Jacuzzi and said, “And that’s why you should vote for me, Ridoc Gamlyn. Future lawyer. For the Class of 2028.”

The projector faded to black, and everyone in the room jumped to their feet and clapped. A few people even wolf whistled. The final video was something that Ridoc was confident would make the Harvard admissions team beg him to attend. He would be a goddamn asset to their school.

The proof of which came on the day that his LSAT results came in. Ridoc had been checking his inbox obsessively for a few days, since he knew he would get his score within a certain time frame. When the email finally came, Ridoc gathered as many of the Basgiath members in the house as he could before he opened it. Mostly because he wanted to celebrate as soon as possible. Only a small part of Ridoc believed that it would also give him the chance to grieve with his closest friends. 

Ridoc said a quick prayer before clicking on the email. He stared at it for a long moment, then turned to the people around him and lifted his phone in triumph. “179!”

Everyone around him immediately began jumping up and down as a group and hugging each other. Aotrom yipped with pride.

Ridoc hadn’t officially been accepted to Harvard yet. But now he was certain that it would happen.

On the day that the Harvard admissions team looked over Ridoc’s application, three white males in their 40s and the Dean of Admissions (another white male in his 40s) sat at a table piled high with applications. After they watched Ridoc’s video, a stunned silence filled the room. 

Finally, one of them spoke. “That was certainly a very…creative essay.”

Another peered down at Ridoc’s files and said, “He does have a 4.0 from USC. And he got a 179 on his LSATs.”

“A media production major?” The Dean of Admissions said skeptically.

“Well,” the third man said, “we’ve never had one before. Aren’t we always looking for diversity?”

The first man spoke again. “His list of extracurriculars is impressive.”

The Dean looked down at his own copy of Ridoc’s application. “He was in a Justin Bieber video.”

“Clearly, he’s interested in music,” the second man said.

The Dean was still not convinced. He read on, “"He also designed a line of limited-edition novelty socks for his fraternity’s charity fundraiser—complete with prank messages hidden on the soles."

“Then he’s a philanthropist. I think it’s obvious that he’s a very well-rounded individual.”

The Dean stared at the screen, which was paused on the last image of the video: a smiling Ridoc, hands planted firmly on his hips. They had already been at this for a few hours, and he was tired. He just wanted to go home to his wife and have a stiff drink. So, he gave in.

“Ridoc Gamlyn,” he said. “Welcome to Harvard.”

Chapter Text

The day that Ridoc moved into his dorm room on Harvard’s campus was a perfect day, and Ridoc assumed that was because the universe supported him in his plan to win Dain back. Ridoc sat behind the wheel of his silver convertible, signing along to a happy pop song that blasted through the car’s speakers. A large moving van followed close behind, in stark contrast to the spartan belongings that most of the law students were moving into their own dorms. Ridoc’s car garnered so much attention that by the time he parked and hopped out, scooping up Aotrom, there was a small crowd of pale students in dull earth tones. Ridoc stood out with his pink silk shirt and fashionable jeans. 

Ridoc looked around with a smile and said to Aotrom, “We’re here!”

Two attractive moving guys climbed out of the moving van and began unloading Ridoc’s belongings. The first things they grabbed were a pink, faux-fur loveseat and a potted palm tree. 

“This way!” Ridoc said to them, striding into the dorm with a huge smile on his face.

Ridoc spent a few hours directing the move. He was horrified to see that his dorm was basically a gray, dingy, cell-block style. He had the movers put the pink fluffy loveseat and the potted palm in the corner. Next came the elliptical cross-trainer, which he squeezed between his bed and the wall. He placed the neon pink margarita glass sculpture on the sad-looking dresser he had been given, and strung up pink flamingo party lights on all the walls. Finally, he crammed all of his clothes into the pitiful closet, although he would have to buy a movable rack for all of the items that wouldn’t fit in the small space.

As soon as everything was situated in his room just so, he decided to waste no time in collecting his orientation packet. He headed off to the law school quad, where “Welcome Law Students Class of 2028” banners hung over orientation tables manned by second year law students wearing red t-shirts. Club tables with banners that read “Harvard Law Journal” and “Environmental Law Association” were set up nearby. 

Ridoc approached the first available second year law student with a name tag that read Chad. Chad barely glanced at him as he handed him a packet of papers. Chad said in a bored voice, “Class schedule, map, book list.”

“Has Dain Aetos checked in yet?” Ridoc asked.

Chad finally looked up. When he saw Ridoc, he did a double take before glancing down at his tablet. “Uh, no, doesn’t look like it.”

Ridoc frowned but then looked through his orientation packet. “Wait, my social events schedule is missing.”

Chad looked confused. “Your what?”

“You know,” Ridoc said. “Mixers, formals, beach trips.”

Chad blinked. Then, deadpan, he said. “There’s a pizza welcome lunch in twenty minutes. Does that count?”

Ridoc wrinkled his nose. “I guess it’ll have to.”

Then he walked away in search of the poor excuse for the social activity planned for the day. Which turned out to be even worse than he expected. Ridoc noticed that there were small groups situated around the lawn, each of which had one second year law student with red shirts. There was no indication of what the incoming students were supposed to be doing, but Ridoc guessed that they were meant to grab their pizza and join a group. He ignored the pizza (not because he didn’t like pizza, but because it was clearly cheap pizza from a fast food restaurant instead of the gourmet pizza he preferred), and looked around for a group that included Dain. Not finding such a group, he settled down at a cluster of students closest to him.

The group leader, who according to his nametag was named Trebor, started with, “Okay. Welcome to law school. This is the part where we go around in a circle and everyone says a little bit about themselves. Let’s start with you.”

He nodded his head in the direction of the guy to his left. He wore glasses and looked extremely uncomfortable with the fact that he was the center of attention. Pushing his glasses up his nose, he said, “Um, I’m Masen. I have a Masters in Russian literature, a PhD in Biochemistry, and for the last eighteen months I’ve been deworming orphans in Somalia.”

Trebor said, “Awesome,” in a tone that sounded like he didn’t actually care. He turned to a girl with pale green eyes and chin-length half-pink, half-shaved hair. “How about you?”

“Imogen,” the girl said simply. “PhD from Berkeley in Women’s Studies, emphasis on the history of combat.”

“Killer,” Trebor said, still sounding bored. He nodded in the direction of the intense-looking guy sitting next to Ridoc. 

“Tomas. I’ve got an MBA from Wharton. Worked on Wall Street for four years. I’ve figured out how to crash the stock market in Sri Lanka if any of you want to get together later.”

Trebor finally looked mildly interested as he said, “Sweet.” He looked at Tomas a little longer than he had after the others spoke, but eventually he turned his gaze to Ridoc.

Ridoc sat up straight and flashed his smile at everyone in the group. “I’m a Leo. I have a Bachelor's degree from USC, where I was Poromiel Sweetheart and president of Basgiath.” Ridoc looked pleased with himself. His eyes widened as he remembered something, so he added, “Oh, and last year I was Homecoming King.”

The three men in the group stared at her dumbfounded. Imogen snickered. Ridoc hardly noticed their reactions, though, because right at that moment he saw Dain walking across the lawn, staring down at his own packet of orientation papers. Ridoc hopped to his feet, said a quick goodbye to the group, and headed off in Dain's direction. Ridoc noticed that Dain looked just as handsome as the day he…

…Ridoc shook his head. He didn’t need to relive that night. This was a fresh start for the both of them, and he would make sure it started out on the right foot. 

Ridoc ran his fingers through his hair, making sure it looked perfectly mussed. When he was satisfied with his look, he started toward Dain. As he got closer to Dain, he opted for wandering past him slightly, seemingly oblivious to his presence. This was harder to achieve than he thought, because he had to make sure that Dain did, in fact, see him clearly.

He managed to pull it off, though, because it didn’t take long for him to hear Dain say in a stunned voice, “Ridoc?”

Ridoc turned, ultra-nonchalant. He looked shocked. “Dain?! Oh my God, I completely forgot you were going here!”

Dain looked at him, confused. “What are you talking about? You’re not here to see me?”

Ridoc shook his head and laughed. “No, silly. I go here.”

“You go where?” Dain asked, clearly still confused.

“Harvard,” Ridoc said simply. “Law school.”

“You,” Dain said, pointing at Ridoc for extra emphasis, “got into Harvard Law?”

Ridoc was confused by his confusion. “What, like it’s hard?”

Dain stared at him, completely discombobulated. Ridoc smiled sweetly and made a show of checking his watch. “Oops! Look at the time. Want to meet me after the first class? On the benches outside the hall?”

“Uh…sure.”

Ridoc gave him a small wave and sashayed off with a confident smile. He wished he hadn’t picked a time to meet up with Dain that was so far away, but he figured playing a little hard to get may not be such a bad thing. It might be good for Dain to think about Ridoc for a few days first. 

Ridoc made sure to dress the part on the first day of class. He wore a designer black leather jacket, tailored skinny jeans, and a tight-fitting graphic tee that read “Trust Me, I’m a Genius.” He even added a pair of trendy, wire-rimmed glasses to complete the look. 

Ridoc joined the throng of students entering the lecture hall. He looked around nervously at the imposing auditorium, then decided to take a seat in the front row. Just as Ridoc sat down, Professor Devera, an older woman who looked tough-as-nails, strode in and immediately started addressing the crowd. 

“A legal education means you will learn to speak in a new language. You will be taught to achieve insight into the world around you, and to sharply question what you know.”

Every student had brought their laptop out as soon as Professor Devera started speaking. Ridoc, however, only had a fuzzy pink notebook and a pen with a pink plastic heart on the end. Ridoc jotted down a few things while everyone around him clacked away on their keyboards. 

Professor Devera continued, “The seat you’ve picked is yours for the next nine months of your life. Enjoy it. And those of you in the front row, beware.”

Ridoc jumped, looking startled. The person next to him passed him the seating chart, and he had no choice but to sign his name.

“The law is reason free from passion,” Devera read off from the paper in front of her. She glanced up and asked, “Does anyone know who spoke those immortal words?”

Masen raised his hand. Devera locked eyes with him, nodding her head at him to answer. He said confidently, “Aristotle.”

Devera approached him the way Cruella de Ville approaches a puppy. She stopped in front of him, stared down at him with a stern expression, and asked, “Are you sure?”

Masen swallowed. He said, not at all confidently anymore, “Yes?”

“Would you be willing to stake your life on it?”

“I…think so?”

Devera spun around and poked another student in the head. “How about his life?”

Masen looked petrified. “I don’t know.”

“Well,” Devera said curtly, “I recommend knowing before speaking. The law leaves much room for interpretation, but very little for self-doubt.” She turned away, saying, “And you were right.” Devera smirked at Masen. “It was Aristotle.”

The class half-laughed in relief. Devera still wasn’t done. She said, “I assume you’ve all read pages 1-48 and are now well-versed in subject matter jurisdiction.”

At this, Ridoc looked around, once again surprised. Now everyone around him was opening their books. He scribbled the page numbers in his notebook for later.

“Who can tell us about Gordon v. Steele?” Devera asked. There was silence in the auditorium. Devera, not wanting to waste time, looked down at the seating chart that was now complete. “Ridoc Gamlyn?”

Ridoc looked up from his notebook. He looked distressed but then quickly cleared his throat and gave a sheepish smile that would have immediately won over every one of his professors’ at USC. “Uh, I actually wasn’t aware that we had an assignment.”

Devera shot Ridoc a severe look. Then, after looking down at the seating chart once more, she called out, “Cat Cordella?”

Ridoc saw someone raise their hand out of the corner of his eye. He turned toward who he assumed was Cat and saw that she was a prim and preppy woman with a straight nose, a full mouth, and glossy black hair. She was also dressed in pearls and a sweater set, which horrified Ridoc. 

Devera asked Cat, “Do you think it’s acceptable that Mr. Gamlyn is unprepared?”

Cat looked over at Ridoc. Ridoc smiled. Cat turned back to Professor Devera and said, “No. I don’t.”

“Would you support my decision to ask him to leave and return to class only when he is prepared?” Devera asked.

“Absolutely,” Cat said without hesitation.

Ridoc’s face fell. He couldn’t believe that this girl would betray him. Weren’t students supposed to stick together? Every single set of eyes was trained on him, so he had no choice but to gather his things and leave, more humiliated than he had ever been in his life.

Not sure what to do next, he decided he might as well head over to the spot where he had told Dain to meet him after class. He stomped over to the nearest bench and sat down, huffing and crossing his arms in frustration. 

Ridoc was so focused on stewing about the scene in class that he hadn’t noticed the young man sitting on the bench next to him until the man asked, “Are you okay?”

Ridoc, snapping out of his stupor, glanced at the young man and his heart skipped a beat. The man was incredibly handsome, with a strong brow line, brown eyes, and tawny brown skin. He had papers spread out over his lap, although Ridoc couldn’t read what was on them. Probably orientation papers. Black curls framed the man’s face, and Ridoc’s fingers itched with the desire to reach out and touch them.

He managed to refrain himself, though, instead answering the man he decided to refer to in his head as Handsome with, “Do they just put you on the spot like that? Like, all the time?”

“The professors?” Handsome asked. “Yeah, they tend to do that. Socratic method.”

“And if you don’t know the answer, they just kick you out?”

Handsome smiled knowingly. “You have Devera.”

Ridoc looked hopeful. “Did she do that to you, too?”

“No,” Handsome shook his head. “But she made me cry once. Not in class - I waited until I got to my room. But yeah, she can pretty much shrivel your balls.”

Ridoc sighed and slumped down on the bench again. He said sarcastically, “Great.”

“Don’t worry,” Handsome said encouragingly. “It gets better. Who else do you have?”

Ridoc pulled out his schedule and looked over it. He read off the paper, “Grady, Carr and Emmetterio.” 

Handsome hummed in thought. He said, “Speak up in Grady’s class. He likes people with an opinion. Sit in the back for Carr. He tends to spit when he talks about product liability.” 

Ridoc made a face. Handsome grinned at his reaction, eyes crinkling at the sides in a way that totally didn’t distract him at all.

Handsome continued, “And make sure you read the footnotes in Emmetterio’s class. That’s where all his exam questions come from.”

Ridoc smiled at him and said incredibly gratefully, “Wow. I’m so glad I met you.” Students began to trickle out of the building as he asked, “Are you a third year?”

Handsome opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by Dain walking up behind Ridoc and saying, “Hey.”

Ridoc spun towards Dain quickly. “Hi!” Ridoc responded brightly.

Ridoc almost didn’t notice when Handsome collected his papers and began to walk off. But since Handsome had been the nicest person he’d met since he arrived on campus, Ridoc didn’t want to brush him off. So he called out after him, “Thanks again for your help!”

Handsome turned around, briefly looking between Ridoc and Dain. He nodded and said, “Good luck.” Then he disappeared into the crowd of students.

Dain, still looking uncomfortable with Ridoc’s presence at Harvard, said, “So, uh, how was your first class?”

“Fine,” Ridoc said automatically. “Well, except for this horrible girl who made me look bad in front of my Civ Pro professor. But no biggie. You’re here now! How was your summer?” 

Ridoc patted the bench beside himself, but Dain didn’t sit down. He looked around the courtyard, then said distractedly, “Good. Good.”

Ridoc, used to keeping up a conversation, said, “Do anything exciting?”

At that moment, a female hand snaked around Dain’s chest from behind. Dain turned and brought the owner of the hand to his side, as if he were presenting her to Ridoc. Nervously, Dain said, “Have you met Cat?”

Cat merely looked at Ridoc, expression full of contempt. Ridoc looked back at her, horrified, and asked Dain, “You know her?”

“Yeah, she’s –” Dain started.

Cat cut him off. “I’m his fiancee.”

Ridoc gaped at her, certain there was a mistake. But Cat tucked a piece of her hair behind her, flashing a huge diamond ring. 

Ridoc blinked and shook his head. “I’m sorry. I just hallucinated.”

Dain explained, “Cat was my girlfriend at prep school. We got back together over the summer at my grandmother’s birthday party.”

Ridoc looked stricken. This was not how the plan was supposed to go. He hadn’t prepared for anything close to this. Cat gave him a smug smile as he tried to wrap his head around this new turn of events. 

“Dain told me all about you,” Cat said. “You’re famous at our Club.” She said it in a way that was anything but flattering. In fact, Ridoc could tell that she was being completely condescending. Cat turned to Dain and said pointedly, “But he didn’t tell me that you’d be here.”

Dain shifted from one foot to another, agitated. “I didn’t know, sweetie.”

Ridoc couldn’t stand this anymore. There was no way he was going to keep looking like an idiot in front of the two of them when he still didn’t quite understand what was happening. Well, he understood. But it still didn’t make any sense. 

Ridoc mumbled, “Excuse me,” before bolting.

The only thing Ridoc was thankful for was that he managed not to cry until he was far away from his ex-boyfriend and his new fiancee. 

Chapter Text

After the bombshell that Dain dropped on Ridoc after class, Ridoc decided to take a drive to clear his head. Which probably wasn’t the best idea, given that it was hard to drive when he could barely see past his tears. But he refused to stay on that stuffy campus that he had only gone to for Dain.

Suddenly, Ridoc spotted a sign for a climbing gym and swerved his card in the direction the sign pointed. A gasp of hope escaped his lips as he continued down the road, searching for the building, knowing it would be his only hope for feeling better. Finally, he stopped his car in front of a climbing gym called Rocktopia.

Ridoc could tell as soon as he walked in that this climbing gym’s clientele was different than the one at USC. The climbing clothes people wore were more Wal-Mart than prAna, but Ridoc wasn’t going to be picky at a time like this. 

Ridoc hurried over to the front desk, where a man who looked to be about Ridoc’s age was checking people in and out. He was tall, lean, and wiry, with freckles that covered his entire face (and Ridoc assumed his body as well). 

The man, noticing how defeated Ridoc looked, asked, “Bad day?”

“You can’t even imagine,” Ridoc responded. He asked for the appropriate sized shoe size, and Sawyer quickly gathered and handed them to him, as well as a climbing harness. 

Glancing around the gym, he said to Ridoc, “It’s slow right now. Need me to belay? You can spill while you climb.”

Ridoc, grateful for someone to hash everything out with, nodded eagerly. “I’m Ridoc.”

“Sawyer,” the man said, shaking Ridoc’s hand.

Once they were tethered to each other and he began climbing, Ridoc let it all out in a rush. “I worked really hard to get into law school. I blew off Spring Break and Greek Week to study for the LSATs. All so I could get my boyfriend Dain back. And now he’s engaged to this awful girl Cat so it was all for nothing! I wish I’d never even come to Harvard.”

“After you went to all that trouble?” Sawyer asked, incredulous. As if even after only knowing him for five minutes, Sawyer knew Dain had to be crazy to go for Cat over Ridoc.

Ridoc focused on a particularly difficult part of the route before responding. “What am I supposed to do now? He’s engaged! She’s got the family six-carat on her bony, unpolished finger.”

Ridoc reached the top of the route, tapped the last plastic boulder, and down climbed back to the bottom. Once his feet were firmly planted on the ground, Sawyer shook his head and said, “You’re asking the wrong guy. I’m with my girl eight years and then one day it’s ‘I met someone else. Move out.’”

Ridoc looked horrified. “What did you do?”

“Cried a lot,” Sawyer said simply. “Luca kept the trailer and my precious baby Sliseag. I got jackshit.” Sawyer pulled out his phone and showed Ridoc a picture of a big, slobbering pit-bull. “I didn’t even get to go to his birthday party.”

“No!” Ridoc cried out in shock. “That’s terrible!”

“What could I do?” Sawyer shrugged. “So what’s this Cat got that you don’t? Tits?”

Ridoc sighed. “She’s from Connecticut. She belongs to his stupid country club.”

“Is she as hot as you?”

“She’s not completely unfortunate-looking,” Ridoc admitted. 

Just then, the door to the gym opened and a woman with long brown hair and a UPS uniform came in. When she saw Sawyer, she dropped the package she was holding on the front desk and signed, “Hello.”

Sawyer blushed and smoothed down his hair, walking over to her quickly. So quickly, in fact, that he tripped and almost fell face-first in front of her. He managed to catch himself, though, and tried to play it cool as he signed for the package.

“See you later,” the woman smiled as she signed.

Sawyer’s gaze didn’t turn away from her until she was out the door. Ridoc, having noticed all of this, wiggled his eyebrows at Sawyer when he finally looked back at him. 

“Could I be anymore goddamn idiotic?” Sawyer groaned. Then, trying to turn Ridoc’s attention away from that embarrassing interaction, he asked, “So you’re sure this Dain guy is the one?”

Ridoc nodded. “Definitely. I love him.”

“If a guy like you can’t hold on to their partner, then there sure as hell isn’t any hope for the rest of us,” Sawyer said. Then, his expression turning serious, he said vehemently, “What’re you waiting for? Steal the bastard back.”

Sawyer was right. Ridoc decided this was just a new hitch in his plan, but that once he regrouped and made a few changes, it would turn out just fine.

In criminal law class the next day, Ridoc didn’t miss the fact that Cat was doing everything in her power to taunt him. She kept waving her ring in Ridoc’s direction. She played footsie with Dain. Sometimes she even threw nasty smirks over her shoulder in his direction. Ridoc just glared at her.

Thankfully, Ridoc didn’t have to put up with Cat’s bullshit for long before Professor Panchek, a man with brown eyes and thinning hair addressed the class. Ridoc could tell as soon as he opened his mouth that this was the sort of guy who was a big fan of himself.

Panchek began, “I should warn you that in addition to competing against each other for the top grade of this class, you’ll also be competing for one of my firm's highly coveted four internship spots next year where you will get to assist on actual cases. Let the bloodbath begin.” He pauses and gives himself a hearty chuckle. “Now, let’s commence with the usual torture.”

Panchek looked around. “Mr. Gamlyn.”

Ridoc saw Cat and her bitchy, clone-like friend (who he had learned in the class before was named Amber) exchange knowing glances. He heard Cat mutter, “This should be amusing.”

“Would you rather have a client who committed a crime malum in se or malum prohibitum?” Professor Panchek asked Ridoc.

Ridoc didn’t know what either of those things meant, but it didn’t matter because he knew just what to say to get everyone on his side. Grinning, he said, “Neither.”

Professor Panchek looked skeptical. “Why not?”

“I’d rather have a client who’s innocent,” Ridoc quipped. But just like in his LSAT class, the joke landed flat in the room. In fact, Ridoc heard snickers all around him. Worst of all, he noticed that Dain was now frowning.

“Dare to dream, Mr. Gamlyn,” Pancheck said, unimpressed. “Ms. Cordella? Which would you prefer?”

Cat didn’t miss a beat. “Malum prohibitum. Because the client would've committed a regulatory infraction as opposed to a dangerous crime.”

Panchek nodded, satisfied. He opened his mouth as if to move on, but Ridoc refused to let Cat have the last word. So he raised his hand.

“Yes, Mr. Gamlyn?” 

“I changed my mind. I pick the dangerous one,” Ridoc said. Then, looking pointedly at Cat, he continued, “I’m not afraid of a challenge.”

Cat was the one glaring at Ridoc now. Dain looked between the two of them, worried, but he didn’t say anything. 

Which was pretty much how Dain dealt with the tension between Ridoc and Cat over the next few weeks: he ignored it. Or, when he was forced to do something about it, he did so halfheartedly.

For example, when Ridoc approached him at the Harvard Law library while he sat with his study group, going over outlines. Cat and Amber were there, of course, as well as two other people. Ridoc, a bright smile on his face, held out a basket of muffins and said, “I’m here to join your study group! And look! I brought sustenance!”

Ridoc was surprised to see all of them frowning at him, not just Cat and Amber. Dain, looking nervously at Cat, said, “Ridoc, what are you doing here?”

Ridoc pulled up a chair, sat down next to Dain, and handed him a muffin. “Want to be the first to try one?”

“Our group is full,” Cat said.

Ridoc glanced at Dain, hoping he would stick up for him, but he just looked down at his outline. Ridoc, trying to remain perky but not quite doing so, asked hesitantly, “Is this like an RSVP thing?”

Amber said mockingly, “No. It’s, like, a smart people thing. And like Cat said, we’re full.”

“Come on, we can make room for one more,” Dain jumped in halfheartedly. Finally. Although Ridoc felt like it was a little late.

Cat gave Dain a look that clearly meant she would chew him out later. To Ridoc, she said, “We’ve already assigned the outlines, and everyone has started theirs. The answer is no.”

Dain looked at Ridoc guiltily. But he shrugged as if to say “I’m sorry” and did nothing else. There was nothing left for Ridoc to do but gather up his muffins and stand, deflated, clutching the basket to his chest as he went.

Ridoc passed by another study group with Imogen. When he was within earshot, she said, “Maybe there’s a fraternity you could join instead.”

Ridoc stopped and looked at her. “You know, if you’d come to one of my service fraternity’s parties, I would have at least been nice to you.”

Imogen scoffed. “Before you voted against me and talked about me behind my back?”

“I don’t talk about people behind their back,” Ridoc retorted. “Only mean people do that. You must be mistaking me with Cat.”

He looked back at Dain’s table to throw the group one last nasty look before he walked off. Ridoc went back to his room, intending to snuggle with Aotrom and not leave his bed until tomorrow morning. He had been trying to stay positive ever since his trip to the climbing gym, but now he just needed the rest of the day to let himself be depressed. 

Deciding that it would be good to hear from people on his team, he called Rhiannon. She picked up on the first ring, and he heard her say to someone he assumed was Violet, “It’s Ridoc!” To Ridoc, she said, “Guess what I’m doing right this second?”

“Power yoga?” Ridoc guessed.

“Picking out my wedding dress!” Rhiannon shrieked so loudly that Ridoc had to pull his phone slightly away from his ear in order to avoid hearing loss. “Tara proposed!”

“No way!” Ridoc said, startled.

Violet was the one who spoke next, so Ridoc assumed she had pulled the phone away from Rhiannon. Violet asked, “Do you have the ring yet?”

Ridoc didn’t want to tell them just how far he was from his ultimate goal. So, instead, he lied. “Almost.”

“Well, hurry up so you can come home!” Violet said. “We miss you!”

“I miss you, too,” Ridoc said. He really did. Even just this short conversation with his best friends was more friendly human interaction than he’d had in weeks. He’d had plenty of unfriendly human interaction, he supposed, though that didn’t precisely make him feel better.

Rhiannon must have grabbed the phone back, because she was saying, “Keep June first open. You’re one of my bridesmaids. And give Dain our love!”

“I will,” Ridoc said. He could tell that Rhiannon and Violet were busy, so he didn’t try to keep them any longer. By the time he hung up the phone, he was feeling even worse than he had before, though he hadn’t thought that would be possible. 

He was interrupted from his moping when he heard a voice from outside his room. He picked up on the words “Halloween” and “party,” which was just enough motivation for him to jump off his bed and fling open his door as he said, “No way! Someone at this school is actually having a party?”

Ridoc’s face fell as soon as he saw the person who was speaking, though. Cat and Amber. 

“No,” Amber said immediately. “You must have heard us wrong.”

Cat elbowed Amber in the side and said, “Yes, it’s a party.” Amber shot her a glance. Cat ignored her and continued, “It’s a costume party, though. I’m sure you’re not interested in that sort of thing.”

Amber looked confused, but she didn’t contradict her friend.

“I love costume parties,” Ridoc said. 

“Oh,” Cat said. “Well, sure, you can come then. It’s tonight. Your neighbor can give you the address.” She nodded at the guy who was standing outside of the room next to Ridoc’s, looking at the scene as if he couldn’t tear his eyes away. Then Cat spun on her heel and strode away, Amber close on her heels. 

Ridoc was so desperate for something good to happen to him that he didn’t even stop to think why Cat would suddenly invite him to a party. Especially a mere few hours after she had refused to let him join a freaking study group. But he ignored the uneasy feeling in the back of his mind and spent the next few hours going around town gathering all the items he needed for his go-to costume.

Which is how Ridoc found himself standing in the doorway of an off-campus house wearing a flashy, tight Superman suit that left little to the imagination. Only it didn’t take him long to realize that no one else was dressed up. They were all in their boring, bland clothes, and Ridoc finally realized that he had only been invited to become the laughingstock of the party.

Well, fine then , Ridoc thought to himself. His expression quickly turned from shock to determined. He liked getting people to laugh, so he was right in his element. But he wanted to make sure Cat knew that this little prank hadn’t worked. So he walked through the entire house purposefully, nodding and grinning at everyone who gave him weird looks, until he finally found exactly who he was looking for.

Cat and Amber were sitting on a couch in the living room, sipping wine and wearing their typical unflattering cardigans. When Cat spotted Ridoc, she spit out the drink she had just taken a sip of, covering her mouth and laughing hysterically.

“Thanks for inviting me, girls,” Ridoc said sarcastically. “This party is super fun.” 

Cat, still giggling, said, “Nice costume.”

Ridoc looked down at himself, then at Cat. “You, too. Except when I dress up as a frigid bitch, I try not to look so constipated.”

Cat’s jaw dropped. Ridoc shrugged smugly, then continued walking through the house. He had no doubt that Dain was here if Cat was, so he wasn’t going to leave until he found him. Cat had officially messed with the wrong guy.

It didn’t take long for Ridoc to find Dain on the back porch. Dain noticed Ridoc right away, and he glanced at the doorway as if to check that no one was behind him. When he saw that the coast was clear (most likely of his fiance), he smiled warmly at Ridoc in his costume.

“Wow, you are looking great,” Dain said.

“Thank you.” Ridoc smiled at him, then ran his hand along Dain’s chest. “Having fun?”

“I am now,” Dain said, eyes roaming up and down Ridoc’s body.

Glad that his costume was having the desired effect, Ridoc stepped a little closer. He said in a flirty voice, “I feel like we’ve barely spent any time together since we got here.”

Dain chuckled. “That’s because I spend all my time with case studies.”

Ridoc nodded. He had stepped even closer to Dain, so now their mouths were inches apart. “Tell me about it. I can't imagine doing all this and Donovan's internship next year.”

Dain still hadn’t pulled away. In fact, he seemed unable to look away from Ridoc’s mouth. His gaze was locked there as he scoffed, “Ridoc, come on. There’s no way you'll get the grades to qualify for one of those spots. You're not smart enough.” Ridoc stilled. Dain realized he’s gone too far and back-pedals. “I didn’t mean–”

But Ridoc stepped back and said, “Am I high, or did I not get into the same law school you did, Dain?”

Dain tried to reach out to Ridoc, but he had moved far enough away that he couldn’t reach him. Dain said, “Well, yeah, but–”

“But what?” Ridoc interrupted him. “We took the same LSAT. We take the same classes.”

“I just don’t want you to get your hopes up,” Dain said. “You know how you get.”

Ridoc just stared at him. It had taken months, but he was finally beginning to understand the awful truth. He didn’t want to say it out loud, but he couldn’t help himself. He asked Dain, “I’ll never be good enough for you, will I?”

Dain can’t even answer, which is answer enough for Ridoc. He walked back into the house in a daze. He looked around at all of the tipsy law students around him, realizing that they were all probably placing bets on how long he would last here at Harvard Law. None of them thought he belonged here. They just saw him as a class clown who provided nothing to society except good looks and laughs.

Well, fuck them. Ridoc had been letting Dain and these assholes tell him his own worth, but there was once a time when he knew exactly how amazing he was. He had been the king of USC’s campus, for fuck’s sake. This campus looked different and required different things to be respected, but he had no doubt he could become a king here, too.

Ridoc knew that he was good enough for Dain. That he was just as valuable as everyone in this room. And now he wanted to prove it to them all.

Ridoc stomped out of the pitiful excuse for a party, muttering to himself, “You’re about to see just how valuable Ridoc Gamlyn can be.”

Chapter Text

Ridoc didn’t even change out of his Superman costume before driving to the nearest store that sold laptops. Everyone he passed gaped at him, but Ridoc was too oblivious to the stares - he was too focused on proving to everyone at Harvard that they were wrong about him. Ridoc didn’t spend too long deciding which laptop to purchase because he simply chose the cutest one on the shelf. There were more people in line than he would have expected for this time of night, so he waited impatiently, tapping his foot in annoyance.

Ridoc vaguely noticed that someone had walked up behind him in line, but he didn’t pay any attention until that person cleared their throat. When Ridoc turned and locked eyes with none other than Mr. Handsome.
If it had been any other day, Ridoc would have started flirting with him. But right then he had a one-track mind and barely even noticed how beautiful Mr. Handsome’s dark eyes were. 

Okay, that was a lie. Ridoc totally noticed.

But if he was going to prove himself to be serious, he would start now. Ridoc squared his shoulders and stood a little taller, determination flashing briefly in his eyes. Of course, the effect was somewhat undercut by his current attire, which was the opposite of serious. Ridoc rolled his eyes and told Mr. Handsome, “Don’t ask, Handsome.” 

Well, he couldn’t resist flirting in one tiny way.

Handsome threw his hands up as if defending himself. “Wasn’t gonna. And my name is Bodhi. But I appreciate it.”

Ridoc winked, then turned back around since it was finally his turn to check out. Then he marched off, although he couldn’t resist throwing a backward glance at Bodhi’s ass as he left. 

The next few weeks passed by in a blur. At night, Ridoc would type briefs, coffee next to him as Aotrom slept nearby, belly-up. Occasionally, he’d pause to rub his temples or stretch, stealing a glance at the clutter of notes and books piling up around him. He checked out more books from the library than he could easily carry, not missing the looks of shock that Cat and Amber threw his way. Sawyer even helped out, quizzing Ridoc from law textbooks as he showered Aotrom with kisses and showed him pictures of Sliseag. Ridoc even listened to lecture tapes and watched Court TV on mute while he was working out on his elliptical (he had to keep his body as well as his mind in peak form, after all).

There were so many times when Ridoc wasn’t sure if the effort was worth it. Especially when he still had no friends here, and was often still ignored or silently ridiculed in classes. But one day in criminal law class, Ridoc finally had the chance to show off his progress.

Pancheck, in the midst of his lecture, pointed at Ridoc and asked, “And the purpose of ‘diminished capacity’ is?”

Ridoc swallowed nervously, then said, “To negate mens rea?”

Pancheck nodded affirmatively and continued. Ridoc managed to hide his smile and continue taking notes.

Ridoc wasn’t sure if that was the turning point, but soon after that he noticed that other students were a little friendlier towards him. One night in the library, Ridoc was having trouble reaching for a book high on the shelf. He tried a running start and leaped for it, but he still missed. He tried from the left, then the run, and still he couldn't reach the book he needed. Finally, Masen walked up and set down a step-stool at Ridoc’s feet. Ridoc, now winded, smiled his thanks and stepped up to retrieve his book.

A few days later, in civil procedures class, Professor Devera paced in front of the class. “So you’ve filed a claim. Now what?”

Devera looked over to see Ridoc typing on his laptop. She strode in front of him and asked, “Mr. Gamlyn?”

Ridoc, startled, looked up at her. “Don’t you also need to have evidence?”

“Meaning?” Professor Devera prompted him. There was no way she missed the way that everyone in the lecture hall was now staring at Ridoc.

“Meaning,” Ridoc started tentatively. “You need…reasonable belief that your claim would have, like, evidentiary support?”

The only thing that would suggest that Devera was impressed was the slight tilt of her lips. She walked away, continuing with, “And what kind of evidentiary support does this case require? Tomas?”

This time, Ridoc couldn’t hold back the little seated victory dance. He couldn’t be sure, but he had a feeling that Devera was on his side. He was even more certain of that during the next class, when she faced the class with the regular morning quote, which she always wanted the students to tell her it belonged to.

“‘An image and a good hook can get you into a room, but something has to keep you in that room.’”

Imogen guessed, “Judge Sandra Day O’Connor?”

Devera shook her head. Imogen’s face fell, but Devera was already looking at the raised hands around her. In particular, Ridoc’s raised hand.

“Mr. Gamlyn?” Devera called on Ridoc.

“Madonna?”

The class rolled their eyes and laughed, watching Devera. Devera smirked and said, “Damn. Thought I’d get everyone on that one.”

The class was stunned.

But the best feeling actually came in criminal law class the next week. They were discussing The State v. Latimer, and Dain was droning on and on with his opinions in that pompous way he usually did in class. 

“...according to Swinney v. Neubert, Swinney, who was also a private sperm donor, was allowed visitation rights as long as he came to terms with the hours set forth by the parents. So, if we're sticking to past precedent, Mr. Latimer wasn't stalking— he was clearly within his rights to ask for visitation.”

Panchek leaned against his desk, arms folded across his chest. He argued, “But Swinney was a one-time sperm donor, and in our case, the defendant was a habitual sperm donor, who also happens to be harassing the parents in his quest for visitation.”

“But, without this man's sperm —the child in question would not exist.” Dain grinned and looked around as the class murmured their agreement.

Panachek smiled, clearly impressed. “Now you’re thinking like a lawyer.”

Ridoc knew Dain well enough to expect that this interaction would make his ex insufferable for the next few hours. But Ridoc had a different opinion than Dain. If they were still dating, Ridoc would have let it go. As it was, he couldn’t think of one single reason why he shouldn’t raise his hand and give his two cents. So he did.

“Mr. Gamlyn?” Panchek asked.

Ridoc didn’t notice Bodhi enter the room from the back, holding a file and watching quietly. He also didn’t hear Amber when she said to Cat, “The idiot speaks.” 

Ridoc said hesitantly, “Although Mr. Aetos makes an excellent point, I have to wonder if the defendant kept a thorough record of each sperm emission made throughout his life?”

The class tittered, which annoyed Ridoc. Panchek, bemused, asked, “Why do you ask?”

Ridoc was now convicted. He explained confidently, “Well, unless the defendant attempted to contact every single one-night-stand to determine if a child resulted in those unions — then he has no parental claim whatsoever over this child. Why this sperm? Why now?”

Ridoc’s confidence would have been even higher if he had noticed Bodhi’s mouth twitch into a smile. But Ridoc continued because he was on a roll, not necessarily because he believed that anyone would support him. “For that matter, all masturbatory emissions where his sperm was clearly not seeking an egg could be termed reckless abandonment.”

Panchek smiled. “I believe you’ve just won your case.”

Dain’s mouth hung open, as did Cat’s and the rest of the class. Ridoc grinned. 

At the end of class, as students filed out, Panchek stopped Ridoc as he passed by. He said, “You did well today.”

“I did?” Ridoc asked.

“You’re applying for my internship, aren’t you?”

“I don’t know…” Ridoc started.

Panchek interrupted him. “You should. Do you have a resume?”

“I do!” Ridoc said excitedly. He pulled his resume out of his briefcase and handed it to Panchek. 

Panchek looked at it and frowned. “It’s pink.”

Ridoc nodded. “And embossed. Gives it that extra little something, doesn’t it? See you tomorrow!”

Ridoc walked out, smiling. Bodhi walked up to Panchek and handed him the file he had brought. He said, “I brought you the Riorson notes.”

Panchek took the file distractedly, still watching Ridoc go. “You think he just woke up one morning and said, ‘I think I’ll go to law school today!’?”

Bodhi looked after Ridoc, bemused. “Aside from that lapse in judgement – he’s got potential.”

That afternoon, Sawyer sat shotgun in Ridoc’s car as he told him what happened in class. 

“You showed Dain up in class?” Sawyer asked incredulously. “You’re supposed to be showing up Cat.”

“I couldn’t help it!” Ridoc exclaimed. “It was the most fun I've had since I've been in law school. Not only was I good enough for Dain — I was better than him. He has to see how serious I am now. Even Panchek was impressed, and he's a total hard- ass.”

Ridoc reached their destination as he talked, so he stopped the car and turned off the ignition. He turned to Sawyer and asked, “You ready?”

“No,” Sawyer replied. 

Ridoc rolled his eyes. “Yes, you are. Go. You can do this.”

He pointed ahead, and Sawyer groaned and got out of the car. They were at a trailer park, right in front of a particularly shabby looking mobile home. Sawyer approached slowly, then turned back as if to return to the car. Ridoc shook his head vigorously and pointed again. Sawyer sighed and finally knocked on the door.

The door opened, and Luca and her bad spray tan emerged. Sawyer stood on the porch, trying to exude confidence but failing. 

“What the hell do you want?” Luca asks Sawyer.

“I just–” Sawyer started.

“You just thought you’d come over and show me what I’m definitely not missing?” Luca laughed nastily. 

Ridoc watched this entire exchange, getting more and more angry as each minute passed. 

Luca continued, “How many times are you gonna show up here, begging me to take you back?”

Sawyer reddened, flustered and humiliated. Ridoc couldn’t take it anymore, scrambling out of the car and striding so that he was right next to his friend. He pulled a pair of smart-looking glasses out of his back pocket and placed them on his nose.

“Luca Newcomb?” Ridoc asked, glaring at the woman.

Luca smacked the gum she had in her mouth and said, “Who’s asking?”

“I’m Ridoc Gamlyn. I’m Mr. Henrick’s attorney.” Luca looked at Sawyer in surprise, but Ridoc kept going. “Under state law, you and Mr. Henrick had a common law marriage which entitles him to the benefits of property law and an equitable division of assets.”

Luca didn’t seem to notice that Ridoc was a little uncertain and nervous as he said this. In fact, Luca stood there with her mouth hanging open. When Ridoc finally paused, she said, “Come again?”

Ridoc straightened his glasses and said, “Due to the fact that you retained the residence, Mr. Henrick is entitled to full ownership of the canine property in question and we will be enforcing said ownership immediately.”

“Huh?” was Luca’s only response.

Ridoc, realizing that he couldn’t just swoop in to save Sawyer without giving him some sort of ownership of the situation, turned to his friend. “Tell him, Sawyer.”

Sawyer was still stunned. But it didn’t take long for a determined expression to form on his face. He turned back to Luca, a fire in his ass, and said, “I’m taking the dog dumbass.” Then he leaned into the trailer slightly and called out, “Come here, Sliseag, daddy’s here!”

There was the distinct sound of dog nails on the floor, and then Sliseag bounded out, licking and kissing Sawyer. The love between them was evident. Sawyer swept Sliseag into his arms and turned back to the car, Ridoc right behind him. Luca was still just standing on the porch looking stunned.

Ridoc drove off quickly, but when Luca was out of sight he turned to Sawyer and squealed, “We did it!”

Sawyer threw his head back against the passenger seat, still clutching Sliseag to his chest as if he would never let him go. “God, that felt great!”

“Did you see Luca? She was still scratching her head when we drove away.”

“Which must be a nice vacation for her pussy,” Sawyer quipped. Sawyer kissed Sliseag, then said, “And now Daddy’s got somebody to eat dinner with again. Did you miss Daddy? Huh?”

Ridoc looked over at Sawyer and Sliseag, eyes softening. A big grin crept onto his face as he continued to watch the two of them, more proud of his newfound lawyer skills than he had been even in class today. Ridoc was glad he was at Harvard if it meant helping people like Sawyer. And for the first time in a long while, Dain was the furthest thing from his mind.

Chapter Text

A few days later, a throng of buzzing law students gathered around the bulletin board outside of Professor Panchek’s criminal law class. When Ridoc walked up to the room and saw the crowd, he frowned.

“What’s going on?” he asked Masen.

Masen looked at him before once again trying to strain his neck to see over everyone. “Panchek’s firm is defending a major murder case and his caseload is so heavy he’s taking on first year interns.”

“He chose them already?” Ridoc asked, sounding excited.

Cat, at the front of the throng, gasped, then turned to Dain. She threw her arms around him and said, “We got it!” Dain grinned and kissed Cat on the cheek.

Ridoc, shoved back by people around him, continued to move forward. When he finally reached the bulletin board, his eyes scanned the list, heart hammering with a mix of hope and doubt. When his gaze landed on his name, he froze.

“Me?!” he shouted, equal parts disbelief and exhilaration flooding his chest. 

Ridoc turned and faced the throng, throwing his hands up in triumph. Everyone stared back at him in shock. Putting his arms down, Ridoc walked through them in a more dignified manner and everyone parted for him. He stopped in front of Dain and Cat.

Ridoc said to Dain, “Remember that time after Winter Formal? When we spent four incredible hours in the hot tub?” Dain grinned, and Cat glared at him. Ridoc continued, “This is way better than that.” Then he pushed past Cat, saying, “Excuse me. I have some shopping to do.”

As Ridoc walked away, Cat turned back to a nervous Dain and crossed her arms over her chest. She cocked her head to the side and said in disbelief, “Four hours?”

Ridoc managed to restrain himself from buying flashy outfits and accessories, knowing that he would need to favor practical items for this internship. When he arrived at Panchek’s office on his first day of his new internship, he found Dain waiting in front of the elevator. They didn’t say anything to each other as the doors opened and they pressed the button that would take them to the correct floor, but Ridoc didn’t miss the way that Dain kept glancing at him. Dain seemed baffled but also impressed by Ridoc’s professional transformation.

As they stepped out of the elevator, Dain finally said, “You look - nice.”

Ridoc gave him an aloof smile and responded, “Thank you.” Then he strode off, and Dain watched him go. Cat, who had been standing outside of the office, witnessed all of this and looked none too happy.

Ridoc was just getting settled in his seat at a long conference table when Panchek walked in. Pancheck said, “You saw an office and a bathroom as you walked in, and there’s the coffee machine. There’s your tour.” He paused to open his briefcase, then continued. “We’re defending a Mr. Riorson, whose very wealthy wife Sgaeyl was found shot to death in their Tyrrendor mansion.”

“Gold digger?” Cat asked.

“You’d think so, since the woman was sixty, but Xaden was rich on his own,” Pancheck explained. “Some kind of celebrity poker player. He’s capitalized on his poker fame to create an empire. Books like Mastering the Mind Game and courses on how to read people.”

Ridoc straightened in his seat. “Wait a minute - are we talking about Xaden Riorson?”

Pancheck checked his papers. “Looks like…yes, Xaden.” He looked up again. “You know him?”

“He was a Basgiath member!” Ridoc said excitedly. “Not in my class or anything - he graduated two years before me. But I used to watch him play poker in tournaments and I took some of his classes. He’s amazing!”

The others looked at each other and rolled their eyes. Ridoc didn’t notice, too caught up in the rush of realizing he’d get to help someone he had admired for years.

“Amazing how?” Panchek asked.

“He could read you like a book in less than three minutes. It’s like he’s got a sixth sense - completely unmatched!”

“Well, in all likelihood, he’s completely guilty as well,” Panchek said. “He was seen standing over his wife’s dead body.”

“By who?” Dain chimed in.

“Whom?” Cat corrected him.

Ridoc’s lips twitched, caught somewhere between a smirk and a grimace. 

Pancheck said, “Her twenty-seven year old son Tairn and the maid Andarna.”

“Maybe they just found him like that,” Ridoc suggested.

Pancheck nodded. “That’s the story he’ll be telling the jury. We just have to prove it.”

At that moment, Bodhi walked in and sat down at an empty chair near the door. He said, “Sorry I’m late.”

Ridoc cocked his head at him, confused. Bodhi merely smiled at him, looking almost shy. Ridoc smiled back, not at all shy. 

“This is Bodhi Durran, one of my associates,” Panchek explained. “Top three in his class and former editor of Harvard Law Review. You've probably seen him lurking around campus doing my research. Ask him all your stupid questions, save the smart ones for me.”

“What about the murder weapon?” Dain brought the discussion back to the topic at hand.

“The gun is missing,” Pancheck said. “The coroner said she'd been dead thirty minutes when the cops arrived — giving Xaden plenty of time to stash it.”

Ridoc chimed in confidently, “There’s no way Xaden could’ve done this—he makes a living teaching people to spot lies, and liars don’t go around committing murder. Too risky!”

Pancheck gaped at Ridoc. “You don’t really believe he’s innocent?”

“Of course I do!” There was simply no way he could believe otherwise.

Bodhi looked intently at him. He said, “Then we may actually have a case.” Bodhi looked over at Pancheck, who still didn’t seem so sure.

Pancheck was still unconvinced a few days later when they all took a trip to the jail where Xaden was being held. On that day, Panchek sat at a long table next to Xaden, a handsome man with windblown black hair, dark brows, tawny-brown skin, and the most stunning onyx eyes Ridoc had ever seen. All of the interns sat at the far end of the table taking notes. A cop stood guard at the door.

“Alibi?” Pancheck asked.

Xaden leaned back in his chair undisturbed as if he wasn’t stuck in prison for the inevitable future. “I can’t tell you.”

“You understand you’re on trial for murder?” Panchek said tersely.

“I didn’t do it,” Xaden said calmly. “I walked in, saw my wife lying on the floor, bent down to check her heart, yelled in agony, and then Tairn and Andarna ran inside.”

“Where they saw you standing over the body, covered in her blood,” Panchek finished.

Xaden merely glared at him. “Why would I kill my wife?”

Pancheck sighed. “Insurance? A love affair? Pure unadulterated hatred? Believe me, the DA will come up with plenty of reasons.”

“I loved her,” Xaden said vehemently. 

“She was thirty-four years older than you. That doesn’t sound so good to a jury.”

Now Xaden looks pissed. “Then I’ll describe what she could do with her tongue. That might put a few things together.”

Everyone stiffened except for Ridoc, who laughed out loud. Everyone turned to stare at Ridoc, their expressions ranging from horrified to disbelieving. Dain’s jaw tightened, clearly unimpressed, while Cat shot him a withering glare. Xaden’s annoyed expression shifted into something closer to amusement.

“Xaden, I believe you,” Pancheck said in a way that made it clear that he didn’t actually believe him. “But a jury is gonna want an alibi.”

“I can’t give you that,” Xaden said, still nonplussed. “And if you put me on the stand, I’ll lie.”

Pancheck looked at him like he was an idiot. Then he asked, “Were you with another woman?”

“Go to hell,” Xaden spat out.

“I’ll take that as a no.”

Xaden stood, clearly done with this conversation. “Are we done for today?”

“I believe we are,” Panchek said, his hand now to his head as if he had a headache.

Pancheck stood and left the room, all of the interns following behind except Ridoc. As they filed out, Xaden saw Ridoc and stopped him. He said, “Hey, I know you.”

Ridoc perked up. “I’m a Basgiath member! I’m a huge fan of yours!”

“You were in one of my seminars. Your ability to hide your tells is the best I’ve ever seen. Are you one of my lawyers?”

“Sort of.”

Xaden looked at Ridoc as if he was his savior. “Well, thank God one of you has a brain.”

Sawyer was the first person Ridoc wanted to talk to after all of this happened. He went straight to the climbing gym and recounted everything to his friend, Sliseag sleeping happily on the floor next to the climbing wall they were on. 

“I feel so bad for him,” Ridoc called up to Sawyer as he belayed. “I mean, he’s in jail! And he’s innocent. But I’m the only one who believes him. Pancheck totally thinks he’s guilty.”

Sawyer began downclimbing and said, “That’s because he sounds like a big, fat idiot who doesn’t..” He trailed off as he landed on the ground and glanced over at the gym’s front door. “Oh, my God.”

Ridoc looked over and saw that Jesinia stood in the doorway with a package, sun streaming in around her.

Jesinia smiled when she saw Sawyer. “Afternoon,” she signed.

Sawyer said quietly, “It’s her.” Then he smoothed down his hair. He said nothing, but just continued to look Jesinia up and down, admiring the way her lithe figure looked in her UPS uniform. 

“I’ve got a package,” Jesinia signed after a beat of awkward silence.

“You’ve got a package,” Sawyer agreed dumbly. He blushed and shifted nervously. Ridoc just glanced between the two of them, eyes wide.

Jesinia smiled again and nodded. “How are you doing today?” she signed.

“Fine?” Sawyer said, finally signing hesitantly.

Jesinia walked over and handed Sawyer a clipboard, waiting for him to sign. Sawyer remained frozen. Ridoc took the pen and signed for him, trying to help. Jesinia smiled kindly at Sawyer and headed out. As she pushed the door open with her back, she signed, “Take it easy.”

Sawyer watched her go, hand over his heart. Ridoc looked at him, concerned. Ridoc said, “So, this is the only interaction you two ever have?”

“No,” Sawyer said defensively. “Sometimes I say ‘Okay’ instead of ‘Fine’.”

Ridoc rolled his eyes. “Have you ever considered asking her if she'd like a drink?”

“What’s the point?” Sawyer asked. Then he said matter of factly, “Look at me.”

“I am,” Ridoc said sternly. “And I’m looking at a handsome, fabulous, sexy man.”

Sawyer snorted. “Good one.”

“Trust me,” Ridoc said. “You’ve got the equipment. You just need to read the manual.” Ridoc stepped back, walked in a circle with his arms wide as if he were putting on a performance, and said, “I’m going to show you a little maneuver my father taught me when I was in junior high. In my experience, it has a 98% success rate in getting a person’s attention.”

The other people in the climbing gym stopped what they were doing and listened, intrigued. 

Ridoc continued, “It’s called the ‘Lean and Look’.” Then, in a different voice, he said, “‘Oh, hey! What’s over there?’ Then lean…”

Ridoc leaned back casually against the closest climbing wall, then shot forward dramatically with exaggerated precision, eyes wide and jaw clenched, holding the most intense stare. He held it just a beat too long. 

“...and look! Now you try!”

Sawyer came closer and repeated the maneuver. But instead of the precision Ridoc had done, he leaned back wildly, as if he’s lost his balance, and then sprung forward in a jerk, eyes bulging and jaw hanging open in a ridiculous way. He wobbled for a moment, trying to stay cool, but ends up looking more like a deer caught in headlights.

Ridoc nodded encouragingly. “Okay…yeah. That’s a good start. Now this time, maybe plant your feet a bit more firmly so you don’t look like you’re about to tip over.”

Sawyer does it again, this time with marked improvement. 

“Perfect!” Ridoc praised him.

Another client walks over, chalk all over his hands and pants. He asked, “Like this?” He goes through the movement Ridoc and Sawyer just did.

“Good!” Ridoc says, but he also touched the man’s face lightly. “But purse your lips a bit more.”

Someone across the room called over, asking if he was doing it correctly. Ridoc walked over to him to make adjustments like a yoga instructor correcting form. He said, “More look, less lean.” He turned to the rest of the people in the gym. “Come on. Everyone try!”

Climbers hopped off of the walls as someone reached into their pocket and turned loud music on their phone. Everyone in the gym, no matter their age or gender were up and doing the Lean and Look, repeating the mantra as they did it. Ridoc walked around them, continuing to adjust them as needed. The frivolity continued as the roomful of climbers perfected the maneuver. 

After a long time, Maren, a female climber and the owner of the gym, came out of the back room clutching a bunch of carabiners. She stopped when she spotted the activity. She blinked, then grinned. “Oh my God! The Lean & Look! Works every time!”

***

A few days later, Pancheck, Bodhi and his interns sat in front of Sgaeyl’s son Tairn at the office. Tairn was twenty-seven, dark-haired and bitter. 

“I got out of the shower,” Tairn explained. “Walked downstairs, saw him standing over my mother, and called the police.”

“Did he have a weapon in his hand?” Pancheck asked.

“No.”

“Was there any reason for you to believe he had discarded a weapon?”

Tairn scoffed. “Uh, yeah. Because the fucker shot her.”

“Was there any evidence that Mr. Riorson shot her?” Pancheck asked.

“Her dead body with a bullet in it,” Tairn sneered.

Which was pretty much the same testimony that the golden-haired maid Andarna had when she was at the same conference room a few hours later. 

“What did you see when you entered the house?” Pancheck asked Andarna the same question he had asked Tairn hours before.

“I saw Mr. Riorson standing over the body of his wife,” Andarna said. 

“Was he carrying a weapon?”

“No,” Andarna said. “He was yelling and screaming like crazy.”

Pancheck smiled. “So he was distraught that his wife was dead?”

“Oh, yes,” Andarna said. “Mr. Riorson is the best man I know. I have loved him since the day he hired me. He could never do something this awful. I know this because we are very close.”

The others shifted uncomfortably, then looked at each other. Then, back at Andarna and her shiny, unbuttoned-to-show-her-boobs shirt. 

When the interview was done and Andarna was gone, Pancheck groaned and said, “He’s screwing the maid.”

Ridoc gasped and made a face. “There is no way someone in Basgiath would sleep with a woman in a shiny shirt. Dain, back me up here.”

Dain just shrugged, embarrassed.

Cat looked at Pancheck. “I hate to agree, but I don’t see the two of them actually–” she wrinkled her nose. “--doing it.”

“Men like that will screw anything,” Imogen said.

“So, because he’s hot and has a good body he’s easy?”

Bodhi jumped in before Imogen could answer, trying to prevent a fight. “Okay, if Xaden didn’t kill the woman, who did?”

Ridoc said, “My money’s on the angry son.”

“Tairn has a trust fund,” Pancheck pointed out. “He didn’t need the insurance payoff or the inheritance.”

“Well, all I know is: it’s not Xaden,” Ridoc said.

“That’s touching, Ridoc. But we need an alibi.”

Ridoc fell silent and cocked his head. He thought about it, then started developing a plan. If an alibi was what they needed, then he was going to get one. Ridoc would be damned if he let Xaden Riorson go to jail for a crime he didn’t commit. 

Chapter Text

Ridoc sat in an area of the Boston jail where inmates could talk to visitors through a plexiglass window and a phone. He fiddled with the basket of goodies he had brought with him as he waited for Xaden to enter the room behind the glass and sit down in front of him. Ridoc noted that even though Xaden was wearing a horribly tacky orange jumpsuit, he made it look good. Once Xaden settled in his chair, he looked straight at Ridoc and picked up the telephone on the wall next to him. Ridoc did the same.

“Are you okay?” Ridoc asked, his brows pinched together in concern. “You look so…orange.”

“I’m just glad it’s you and not Panchek,” Xaden responded.

“He means well,” Ridoc said. “He’s really brilliant and all.”

Xaden just made a humming noise, making it clear that he was unconvinced. “He better be, for what I’m paying him.”

Ridoc pushed his basket forward. “I brought you some necessities. Blackout sleep mask. Protein powder. Expensive hair gel. And the Bible.” Ridoc held up the newest volume of GQ. 

“You’re a lifesaver,” Xaden said, forearms resting on the metal table and fingers drumming lightly against the surface.

Ridoc began squirming in his seat. He cleared his throat and began, “But I have to tell you the real reason I’m here. Professor Pancheck says we really, really need your alibi.”

Xaden scowls. “I can’t. You don’t understand.”

“Who could understand better than me?” Ridoc insisted.

Xaden ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “It’s something I don’t want to admit to.”

“Whatever it is,” Ridoc urged him, “it could save you.”

“That’s just it,” Xaden groaned. “It would ruin me!”

“How?” Ridoc frowned, confused.

Xaden shifted in his seat, then composed himself. He took a deep breath, then looked Ridoc directly in the eyes. “I have made my fortune on my ability to teach people how to read anyone - whether at the poker table or in the boardroom.”

“I know!” Ridoc nodded. “Thanks to you, I can spot a bluff from a mile away!”

“That’s great!” Xaden huffs in frustration. “But on the day of Sgaeyl’s murder, I was –” Xaden shut his mouth quickly, as if he couldn’t make it through the rest of the sentence. He closed his eyes, then continued in a whisper, “I was testing an AI tool that analyzes body language and facial cues for me.”

Ridoc gasped in shock. “No!” Ridoc’s jaw dropped, his stomach twisting with a sharp jolt of disbelief.

Xaden looked shattered, head hanging low. “I’m a fraud. But it's not like normal people can read tells as well as AI! If my fans knew, I 'd lose everything. I've already lost my wife. I’d rather be in jail than lose my reputation!”

As Ridoc took in the tension in Xaden’s shoulders, the way he had barely been able to force the words out, Ridoc’s reaction softened. He exhaled, grounding himself. Ridoc sure as hell couldn’t tell anyone this alibi. Not if Xaden didn’t want him to.

Ridoc placed his hand on the plexiglass, and Xaden mirrored the motion. Ridoc reassured him, “Your secret is safe with me.”

Ridoc held firm to this promise the next day at Panchek’s law firm. All of the associates and interns sat at a table piled high with research as Panchek went over his notes. 

Pancheck said, “We’ve got two interviews tomorrow that Bodhi will handle. And the ex-husband in an hour.” He looked up and caught Cat’s eye. She sat up straight and waited eagerly for his next words. “Cat, can you grab me some coffee?”

Cat’s face fell. But she rose and fetched the coffee from the side table.

Pancheck continued, “And according to this list from the prison, our client apparently had a visit from her brother? A Mr. Basgiath–” He glanced at Ridoc. “Anyone you know?”

Ridoc looked up from where he was writing notes. He looked like a deer caught in headlights as everyone looked at him with suspicion. A moment of silence passed, but then Ridoc sighed and admitted, “I went to get his alibi.”

Bodhi looked over at Ridoc, surprised, which made Ridoc sit up a little straighter. 

“Did you get it?” Pancheck asked when Ridoc offered no other explanation.

“Yes,” Ridoc smiled. But before anyone could cheer, he said, “But I can’t tell you what it is.”

Everyone’s expressions went dumbstruck. Ridoc seemed ignorant of this fact, given the way he reached for a stray paperclip on the table and started fiddling with it, his expression relaxed, as if he hadn’t just dropped a bombshell.. 

“Why the hell not?” Pancheck demanded.

“I promised him I’d keep it a secret,” Ridoc said simply. “I can’t break the bonds of brotherhood!”

Now Pancheck was pissed. “Fuck brotherhood. This is a murder trial, not some scandal at the social fraternity house. I want the alibi.”

“I can’t give it to you,” Ridoc said firmly. “All I can tell is that he’s innocent.”

Before Pancheck could respond, an assistant poked her head in the room and announced that Sgaeyl’s ex-husband was on line two. Pancheck rose from his chair, still annoyed. As he walked out, he said, “Someone reason with him while I take this.”

“Are you crazy?” Imogen said. “Tell him the alibi.”

“No!” Ridoc insisted.

“We’re gonna lose the case if you don’t,” Masen interjected.

“Then we’re not very good lawyers,” Ridoc shot back.

Bodhi hid a smile but not well enough that Ridoc didn’t see it, making his stomach flutter pleasantly. Dain leaned over to Ridoc, not noticing that Cat was nearby and could hear everything he said. Dain said quietly, “If you tell him, you’ll probably make summer associate. Who cares about Xaden? Think about yourself.”

Ridoc looked at Dain as if it was the first time he saw him. Cat also looked like she was seeing both Dain and Ridoc in a different light. Ridoc said, “I gave him my word, Dain.”

Pancheck stormed back in before Dain could reply. “The ex-husband, Codagh, seems unconcerned with the fact that his interview is today. He’s at a high-end golf resort in Chatham.”

“A golf resort?” Imogen scoffed. She turned to Ridoc. “Isn’t that, like, your mothership?”

Ridoc ignored her and said to Pancheck, “I can go if you want.”

Pancheck merely waved his hand at Ridoc dismissively. Then he looked at Bodhi with a pointed get-the-alibi look. He said to Bodhi, “Go with him.”

Ridoc felt relieved that Bodhi was the one to go with him, especially once Bodhi shot him a relieved smile. Bodhi decided to drive, and Ridoc happily took the shotgun seat. They fell into conversation easily during the long drive to Chatham. Ridoc quickly discovered that Bodhi was not entirely convinced of Xaden’s innocence.

“Explain to me why you’re so anti-Xaden?” Ridoc asked.

“Uh, for starters,” Bodhi explained, “he won’t give us an alibi.”

Ridoc rolled his eyes. “Aside from that.”

“He’s completely untrustworthy.”

“Why?” Ridoc countered.

“He married an old woman. He’s made a living playing a silly game, selling his ‘foolproof’ techniques on every podcast and talk show that’ll have him..."

Ridoc interrupted him. “A) She’s an old woman who gives good head. B) He is very open with the fact that he is lucky to make a living on a game. And C) some very well respected men in academia also make money from their social media presence.”

“And D…,” Bodhi started. 

“God, I wish there was some D,” Ridoc sighed dramatically.

Bodhi rolled his eyes, but a faint flush crept up his neck. “...Xaden is obviously hiding something.”

“But maybe it’s not what you think.”

“But maybe it is.”

They both grew quiet for a moment. Finally, Ridoc glared at Bodhi playfully. He said, “You’re kind of being a butt-head right now.”

Bodhi looked amused. “How do you figure?”

“Because people aren’t always what they seem to be and you refuse to see that,” Ridoc explained. “Have a little faith. You might be surprised.”

They’re quiet again as Bodhi considered this. Then Bodhi looked over at Ridoc, smirking. “I can’t believe you called me a butt-head. No one’s called me a butt-head since ninth grade.”

Ridoc winked. “Maybe not to your face.”

Ridoc smiled at him teasingly. Bodhi smiled back at him, shaking his head happily. Ridoc continued chatting about anything and everything for the rest of the drive, and Bodhi let him. Ridoc never seemed to notice how Bodhi’s gaze kept flicking to Ridoc, as if he couldn’t keep his eyes away from him for too long.

When Ridoc and Bodhi arrived at the golf resort, Ridoc immediately took charge at the front desk. He had scheduled a private lesson for himself and Bodhi during the drive so they had a plausible reason to be there.

As he checked in with the attendant, he said off-handedly, “Oh, and my friend Codagh Melgren is here somewhere and I’m supposed to meet him. Do you have his dining room reservation time?”

The desk clerk checked. “He’s there now actually.”

Ridoc smiled his thanks and walked off with Bodhi. Ridoc grabbed Bodhi’s arm and pulled him down the hall towards the dining room. It didn’t take long for them to spot Codagh, a man in his late 40s with dark hair and an East Coast hoity-toity attitude. He was scrolling on his phone while drinking a glass of scotch, a half-touched appetizer sitting in front of him on the table.

“Mr. Codagh?” Ridoc asked as he approached the table.

Bodhi jumped in. “We’re here from Pancheck and Associates–”

Codagh put his phone down and sighed. “So you found me.” Bodhi and Ridoc glanced at each other, waiting for Codagh to call for security. Instead, Codagh motioned for them to sit down. As they settled in their seats, he said, “So I hear the bastard from California shot Sgaeyl.”

“Well, that’s what we’re trying to prove didn’t happen,” Bodhi said. “Do you have any reason to believe it did?”

“I never met the man, but from what my son tells me, he’s quite the asshole.”

“He’s not!” Ridoc exclaimed.

Bodhi brushed past this. “Did your son ever say anything to you about Xaden and Sgaeyl’s relationship?”

“Aside from the fact that he found her on TikTok?” Codagh sneered. “He said they humped like rabbits. Tairn could hear them all the way in the pool house.”

Bodhi looked uncomfortable. “I’m sure that was very awkward for Tairn. Much as it is for me, hearing you tell me about it.”

Ridoc sniggered, but Codagh ignored him. “But I guess that wasn’t enough for Xaden.”

“Why do you say that?” Bodhi lifted an eyebrow.

“Haven’t you seen the maid?” Codagh replied.

“Yes…” Ridoc said, looking uneasy.

“Like I said, I've never met Xaden, but I have seen her from a distance,” Codagh continued. “When I'd come over to pick up the alimony check that Sgaeyl forgot to mail every month, he’d be in the office, with Miss Hot Stuff hovering over him in some revealing uniform.”

“Hovering?” Bodhi asked, clearly wanting more of an explanation.

“I didn't stick around long enough to watch him stick his swizzle stick in her mouth, but I'd bet my next check that that's where he was about to put it,” Codagh said.

They couldn’t get much more out of Codagh after that, as he said his tee time was quickly approaching and he needed to finish his lunch. By the time they got back in the car, Ridoc could tell that Bodhi was raving.

“How can you still believe she’s innocent?” Bodhi seethed.

“You’re going to trust the word of a man who named his son Tairn?” Ridoc said. “He is lying.”

“And you know this for a fact?” Bodhi pressed Ridoc.

“Did you see how bad his humor was?” Ridoc asked. “He didn’t even laugh at your joke!”

“So?”

“I never trust a person with no humor. Except for my friend Rhiannon, but that’s only because I know she laughs at jokes internally. That's the whole reason I'm starting the Jokester Legal Defense Fund.”

Bodhi looked at Ridoc and laughed. “What?”

“People who use humor regularly are discriminated against worldwide! Xaden doesn’t crack jokes left and right or anything, but he definitely has some quips. And people are saying he’s sleeping with the cheesy maid and shooting his wife. If he was serious all the time, it would be, ‘Oh, the poor widower.’”

“You’re serious.” Bodhi said it as a statement, since he was just realizing that this was not, in fact, a joke.

Ridoc was fired up now. “You should see the way I’m treated in class! I’m a complete source of mockery. This is why the Jokester Legal Defense Fund is needed.”

Bodhi, won over by his enthusiasm, decided to go along with him. “Okay, how would it work?”

Ridoc sat up straight in his seat, as if he had been waiting to expound on his idea. “It would be a full-service law firm, by and for class clowns, providing positive comedic role models and community outreach. I mean, think about it — name one comedic intellectual role model.”

Bodi pondered this for a moment. Then finally he said, “I can’t.”

Ridoc looked smug. “That is a direct result of anti-humor discrimination.”

“Wait,” Bodhi said. “Justin Trudeau.”

Ridoc rolled his eyes. “Trudeau might crack a joke or two, but he's more of a politician trying to be funny than an actual comedian. Being a true comedian takes more than a pretty face and a scripted punchline.”

Bodhi frowned. “Maybe Sgaeyl got…dicked…by a serious man and Xaden caught him and got pissed.”

“How much bunny sex do you think a sixty-year-old woman can take?” Ridoc gaped.

“That’s not really a topic that keeps me up at night,” Bodhi snorted. “But maybe it should.”

“Oh!” Ridoc said, as if the topic of sex with an elderly woman reminded him of something. He started digging in a bag that Bodhi hadn’t noticed. “Speaking of that, I bought you some polarized sunglasses while you were in the bathroom at the golf resort.”

Ridoc handed Bodhi sunglasses that were clearly very expensive. Bodhi didn’t take them. He kept his hands on the wheel and looked down skeptically instead. 

“What the hell are those for?”

“Your stress lines,” Ridoc said. “You’re an attractive man, but you need to take better care of yourself.”

“I don’t,” Bodhi started, then fell silent as he gestured to the sunglasses. “Wear stuff like that.”

“Well, you should,” Ridoc insisted. “If you look good, you feel good. And if you feel good, you project joy into the world.”

“Projecting joy is not my job,” Bodhi muttered.

Ridoc pouted and slumped in his seat. “Fine. Sorry I brought it up.”

Ridoc put the sunglasses back in the bag. They rode in silence for a moment. Then–

“You really think I’m attractive?” Bodhi grinned.

“For a butt-head?” Ridoc smiled. “Yes.”

Ridoc stared out the window as Bodhi drove them toward campus. He’d loved the conversations he’d had with Bodhi that day, and he didn’t want their time to end. Which didn’t make sense to him, since he was still trying to win Dain back. He definitely couldn’t do that if he spent more time with Bodhi.

When Bodhi pulled in front of his dorm, Ridoc unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out. He said, “Thanks for the ride.”

Bodhi smiled, then opened his mouth as if to say something. He didn’t, though, raising his hand in goodbye instead. Ridoc didn’t understand the glimmer of disappointment he felt as he watched Bodhi drive away. 

Ridoc shrugged and began walking up the stairs to his building. He passed by another woman in his building – Sloane, if he remembered her name correctly – talking to a guy who clearly thought he was a lot more attractive than he actually was. The guy stood with his bro friends, laughing down at Sloane.

“I called you last night,” Sloane said nervously.

“I saw,” the guy said coldly.

“I just wondered if maybe we could hang out again.”

The guy snorted. “Uh, no. You’re a hot mess.” Then he turned to his friends, who all laughed along with him.

Ridoc winced. He was almost inside now, but he could still hear the conversation going on behind him.

“I’m just…” Sloane started.

“Look,” the guy said, turning back to her. “I’m not going out with you again. I can’t believe you’d even think I would. You were a nice lay, but guys like me don’t go out with losers like you.”

His friends snickered. Ridoc finally stopped at this and sighed, knowing that he had to help this woman. He turned and marched back, then hooked his arm around Sloane’s waist and pulled her into his side. Ridoc said, sounding upset, “Why didn’t you call me, baby?”

Sloane looked confused. “W-what?” she stammered.

“We spend a hot night together and then I never hear from you again?”

Sloane still wasn’t picking up on what he was doing. “I…uh…” Ridoc signaled with his eyes for her to go along with it, so she said, “I’m…sorry?”

“For what?” Ridoc said in an anguished tone, really getting into the charade. “Breaking my heart or ruining sex for me with anyone else?”

“Uh – both?”

Ridoc stepped away from Sloane, but he gave her a look that the guys watching wouldn’t be able to interpret as anything other than turned on. “Well, forget it. I’ve already spent too many hours drinking to forget you.”

Then he turned on his heel and walked back up the stairs. Sloane, the guy and his friends watched him go. After a moment, the guy turned to Sloane and said, “So, erm, when did you wanna go out?”

Sloane responded, “I’m free on Friday.”

Ridoc, hearing all of this, smiled to himself as he walked into the dorm.

Chapter Text

It was the first day of the highly televised trial of Xaden Riorson, and Ridoc sat with his colleagues watching the DA, Varrish, grill various people. 

“And what was the defendant doing?” Varrish asked.

Codagh said, “Standing next to the maid in nothing but athletic shorts while she handed him a towel.”

As expected Varrish was working the angle that Xaden had been sleeping with Andarna. Which is why when Andarna took the stand next, Varrish held up a tiny maid’s uniform and questioned, “Andarna, can you tell us what this is?”

Andarna said, “My uniform.”

Varrish confirmed, “This is the uniform that Mr. Riorson asked you to wear while cleaning the house?”

“Yes,” Andarna said, smirking.

“And are you or are you not, having an affair with Xaden Riorson?”

Andarna shifted in her seat. “Define affair.”

“Has he inserted his genitalia into yours?”

Pancheck jumped up and cried out, “Objection–”

But Varrish quickly continued with, “Have you and Mr. Riorson had sexual relations?”

“Yes!” Andarna shouted. “Okay? Yes!”

Everyone in the courtroom gasped. Ridoc looked over at Xaden, who shook his head in outrage. Moments later, the judge adjourned court and people began filing out of the room. As Xaden was being led away by guards, he turned to Elle and said, “I’m not having an affair with Andarna. You know a Basgiath member would never sleep with a woman who wears a French maid uniform! I just liked watching her bend over when she cleaned the floor.”

“I believe you,” Ridoc quickly assured him. “Don’t worry.”

But unfortunately there was nothing that Ridoc could do that day, which is how he found himself sitting in sweatpants in his dorm room pouring over a mammoth-sized deposition that night. A knock sounded, and Ridoc called out, “Come in,” without even looking up.

Cat opened the door and poked her head in. She motioned towards the deposition and asked, “You done with that yet?”

Ridoc sighed. “Take it,” he said as he handed it over. “I’ve read it twenty times.” Ridoc grabbed another deposition off the stack sitting next to him and began reading that one instead.

Cat lingered by the door. After a few seconds, she said, “I believe him, too. I don’t think he’s having an affair with Andarna.”

Ridoc, not looking up from his reading, said, “Too bad you and I are the only ones.”

“I still can’t believe you didn’t tell Pancheck the alibi,” Cat said.

This time Ridoc did look up. He said defensively, “It’s not my alibi to tell.”

“I know,” Cat rushed in. “I thought that was very – classy of you.”

Ridoc was surprised. “Really?” Then he smiled. “Thanks.”

Cat started to go, then stopped and turned back around. “Have you ever noticed that Pancheck never asks Dain to bring him coffee? He’s asked me at least a dozen times.”

Ridoc shrugged. “Those kind of men are helpless. You know that.”

Cat still lingered, leaning on the edge of the couch. “Dain can’t even do his own laundry.”

“I know,” Ridoc chuckled. “He has it sent out.”

“Did you know that he got wait-listed when he applied?” Cat asked. “His father had to make a call.”

Ridoc was stunned. “You’re kidding!”

A knock sounded on the open door and Rhiannon and Violet poked their heads in. As soon as Ridoc saw them, they shouted, “Surprise!”

“Oh my God!” Ridoc exclaimed as he jumped out of his chair.

Cat watched as Ridoc hugged the girls, who each had a bottle of champagne in their hands. 

“What are you doing here?” Ridoc asked once he finally pulled away from his friends.

“We’re on our way to the bridal show in New York,” Rhiannon explained. “So we thought we’d rescue you from law school for the night.”

Violet held up the champagne bottle and waved it in front of Ridoc’s face. “We have a limo downstairs and lots more of these.”

“You guys,” Ridoc said, feeling crestfallen because he really could use a night out on the town. “I can’t. We’re in the middle of a trial.”

“Where’s Dain?” Rhiannon asked, looking around the room.

Cat answered first, clearly sounding confused. “At the office–”

Rhiannon and Violet looked over at her as if it was the first time they had noticed her. Which it was. Violet recovered from her shock first, saying, “Oh how sweet! You made friends with a nerdy girl.”

“Violet,” Ridoc hissed.

“Bring her, too.” Rhiannon shrugged. To Cat, she said, “You can wear one of our extra outfits.”

Cat shook her head. “That’s okay, I–”

Both Rhiannon and Violet turned away from her, not seeming to care that she had more to say. Violet said to Ridoc, “Speaking of which, can you please put on some party clothes? You look like someone rolled you in something sticky and dragged you through a Wal-Mart.”

Ridoc was torn. He wanted to drop everything, to celebrate, to catch up like old times. But the weight of the case pressed heavy on his chest, the need to prove himself gnawing at the back of his mind. “I can't believe you guys are actually here — but this case is important. I'll make it up to you after finals, okay? I promise. I really want to do a good job.”

Rhiannon and Violet stared at him, realizing he meant it. Rhiannon said, “Okay…call us if you change your mind.”

They started to head out. On the way, Violet handed Cat her bottle of champagne. She said, “Here.” As Cat took the bottle, Violet spotted the ring on Cat’s finger and grabbed her had. “Jesus. Talk about a rock. You must be better in bed than you look.”

Ridoc groaned and pushed them out the door. To their backs he said, “I’ll call you as soon as it’s over, okay? Brothers and sisters forever?”

“Forever!” Rhiannon and Violet chimed. 

Ridoc shut the door behind them, then looked at Cat. “Sorry about that.”

Cat set down the champagne, then smiled at Ridoc. “Save it. “We’ll drink it after we win.”

Ridoc smiled, not missing the fact that this was the first time that Cat had been truly nice to him. This made him feel a little less guilty about the fact that he was missing a night out with his friends. 

___

On the morning of the second day of the Riorsion trial, Sawyer was arranging climbing shoes for rent by the front door of the gym. He was distracted enough that he didn’t notice Jesinia come in until she rapped her knuckles on the front desk. Sawyer immediately froze, turning to find Jesinia holding out a big package.

Jesinia signed, “I’ve got a big one for you. Can you sign for it?”

Sawyer nodded and walked around the desk. As he came close, he realized that now would be the perfect time to try the Lean & Look. He shifted his weight, angled his shoulders just right, and tilted his head. As he prepared to shoot forward dramatically for the look, Jesinia leaned forward to hand him her tablet and pen. Not realizing that Jesinia was moving, Sawyer head butted her as he shot forward, clocking her in the nose with his head. Jesinia reeled backward, blood flowing as Sawyer stared at her in horror. 

“Oh my God!” Sawyer cried. He quickly reached behind the desk to call a paramedic. He managed to keep conversation flowing while they waited for the paramedics, but it was mostly frantically-signed apologies and asking how Jesinia was doing. When the paramedics finally got there, Sawyer called Ridoc and explained the situation

“You broke her nose?” Ridoc said when Sawyer was done with his story. At that moment, Ridoc was standing in line for the water fountain during court recess. 

“She definitely noticed me, Ridoc,” Sawyer groaned. “But only because I maimed her.”

“I’ll be over right after trial, okay?” Ridoc said consolingly. “We're about to cross- examine Andarna. And don't worry! My friend Violet barfed on a guy during "The Blair Witch Project" and ended up dating him for three months.”

Relieved, Sawyer finally let Ridoc hang up. As Ridoc put his phone in his pocket, Andarna cut in front of him in line. Ridoc glared at her as she drank from the water fountain. He also started tapping his foot, because he wanted to be sure she knew exactly how annoyed he was.

When Andarna finished getting her drink, she turned and looked at Ridoc. “Don’t stomp your feet at me, sir.” As she waved her finger at him, Ridoc caught a quick glimpse of a delicate silver ring on her finger. The design was simple but unmistakable—an unbroken circle engraved with tiny, intricate script.

Andarna stomped off, and Ridoc stood there gaping after her. As soon as he was able to place where he had seen the ring before, he ran into the courtroom and grabbed Bodhi’s arm. He whispered to Pancheck, who was sitting next to Bodhi, “She’s celibate! Andarna is celibate!”

“What?” Bodhi asked.

Ridoc turned to Dain as he moved down the aisle to sit down. “Dain, remember that group on campus that wore those rings that were always bothering the fraternities and sororities?”

A dark look fell over Dain’s face. “Oh yeah. They were always trying to get us to become born again virgins.”

“See?” Ridoc swirled back to Pancheck and Bodhi. Pancheck frowned, not at all seeing. Ridoc continued, “Andarna is wearing one of those rings! She isn't Xaden’s lover! She’s making it up. Whoever killed Sgaeyl must be paying her off.”

Xaden was finally being escorted into the room. Noticing the commotion, he asked, “What’s going on?”

“Andarna’s celibate.” Ridoc brought Xaden up to speed. “I’m sure of it.”

Xaden frowned, thinking. “She did leave a small Bible in the pool house once –”

Pancheck scoffed. “While I appreciate your masterful legal theory, I have a murder trial to attend to.”

Pancheck grabbed Bodhi’s arm and pulled him aside to confer on more serious matters. Bodhi looked at Ridoc as if to say Sorry before he looked back at Pancheck. Xaden looked at Pancheck, then back at Ridoc, rolling his eyes. Ridoc sat down, pissed. 

A few minutes later, Pancheck called Andarna to the stand. He began with, “Andarna, do you have any proof that you and Mr. Riorson were having an affair?”

Andarna placed her hand over her chest. “Just the love in my heart.”

Women in the audience sighed openly. Ridoc made a puke gesture. Imogen, for once, agreed with Ridoc.

Pancheck smiled smugly. “If that’s all the proof he has, your Honor, I think I’m already done here.”

Bodhi stood and interjected with, “I have a couple of questions, Your Honor?” Pancheck glared at him, but Bodhi turned to him as soon as the judge gave him permission. “Just give me two minutes.”

Bodhi approached Andarna and started firing questions at rapid speed. “Did Mr. Riorson ever take you on a date?”

“Yes.”

“Where?”

“A restaurant outside the city. Where no one would recognize us.”

“And how long have you been sleeping with Mr. Riorson?”

“Three months.”

“And how long have you been celibate?”

“Three years.”

The audience let out a gasp. Ridoc looked shocked, then delighted. Andarna began to look nervous. “I-I’m sorry, I misunderstood. I meant I haven’t gone without regular sex for three years.”

A scrawny, angry man stood up in the audience. “You made a promise! To yourself and to us!” Then he stormed out of the room. Andarna tried to run after him, but the security guards wouldn’t let her.

The courtroom had erupted into chaos by this point. The judge banged his gavel, trying to call for order. Ridoc smiled victoriously from his seat, and Bodhi grinned back at him. Pancheck shook his head, frowning in amazement.

There was no possibility of getting things back on track, so the judge finally adjourned for the day. Ridoc hurried out, since he knew he needed to meet up with Sawyer. Bodhi caught up with him, and together they walked down the stairs in high spirits. 

“Good work today, Mr. Gamlyn,” Pancheck said as he passed them on the stairs.

Ridoc looked at Bodhi, excited by the praise. Bodhi high-fived him, grinning. Their palms lingered a little longer than was strictly necessary, but Ridoc pulled away as soon as he noticed Sawyer rushing up the stairs.

“She came back for her truck after they set her nose,” Sawyer began as if he was simply picking up on where he had left off before. Bodhi, guessing that this would be a long conversation, merely waved at Ridoc and strode towards his car. Sawyer didn’t even notice, instead continuing with, “So then I offered to drive for her since she was still on pain-killers. Then we spent so much time together! She was unconscious for part of it, but it was really fun!”

Ridoc beamed at Sawyer. “I’m so happy for you.”

“How did it go at the trial?” Sawyer asked as they walked to the parking lot.

“Great,” Ridoc said. “Pancheck actually said the words, ‘Good work, Mr. Gamyln’. He takes me seriously! Can you believe it?”

Sawyer stopped Ridoc in his tracks. “Of course I can believe it. You’re going to make a great lawyer. Ridoc, you've changed my life. You are the kindest, most wonderful angel. Without you, I wouldn't have Sliseag or a dinner date. Now go and share your goodness with the world while I go pick out an outfit.”

Sawyer swept Ridoc into a big hug, then hurried off, almost skipping down the sidewalk. Ridoc grinned at his retreating back, then turned toward his car.

Cat was parked right next to him, trying to get into her own car. This was made difficult with the stack of depositions she had in her arms. Ridoc opened the door for her, and she smiled in thanks.

“Oh, Pancheck asked to see you at the office ASAP,” Cat said as she placed the depositions in the back seat.

“Really?” Ridoc asked, excited. Surely that was a good thing, right? 

Cat shrugged. “Maybe he needs some donuts.”

They shared a smile as Ridoc got into his car. He drove as fast as possible to the office, wondering the entire time what Pancheck could need him for. Maybe Pancheck had noticed his work on the case, his sharp insights, his dedication.

By the time Ridoc stood in front of Pancheck’s glass-walled office, his nerves were buzzing. He ran a hand through his hair, took a deep breath, and knocked. 

The moment Ridoc knocked, Pancheck glanced up and gestured for him to come in. Ridoc went, shutting the door behind him. Pancheck sat behind his desk, and he motioned for Ridoc to sit in one of the two chairs opposite him.

As he settled in, Ridoc asked, “Is everything okay?”

“You followed your intuition today and you. were right on target. I should’ve listened.”

“Thank you,” Ridoc said quietly, not believing what he was hearing. 

“About the alibi–”

Ridoc sighed. “I’m sorry, but–”

Pancheck cut him off. “I'm impressed that you took the initiative to go there and get it. That's what makes a good lawyer. And on top of that, you gained the client's trust and kept it.. That's what makes a great lawyer. You're smart, Ridoc. Smarter than most of the guys I have on my payroll.”

Ridoc was overwhelmed by his praise. A warmth spread through his chest. He had spent so much of his life being the guy people underestimated—the one cracking jokes in the back of the room, the one who never seemed to take anything too seriously. And now, to hear this—from Pancheck , of all people—it was the proudest he had ever felt in his life. “Wow. That means so much to me to hear you say that.”

Pancheck walked around his desk and sat in the chair opposite Ridoc. “I think it's time to discuss your career path. Have you thought about where you might be a summer associate?”

Ridoc felt a lump form in his throat, and he swallowed hard, trying to keep his emotions in check. “Not really. I know how competitive it all is–”

“You know what competition is really about, don’t you?” Pancheck asked.

Eager for his knowledge, Ridoc sat on the edge of his seat. He leaned in, ready for Pancheck’s next words.

“It’s about ferocity,” Pancheck said. “Carnage. Balancing human intelligence with animal  diligence. Knowing exactly what you want and how far you'll go to get it. How far will Ridoc go?” At these last words, Pancheck slid his hand up Ridoc’s thigh. His blood turned to ice.

Just then, Cat walked down the hallway, glancing into the office to see Pancheck’s hand sliding close to Ridoc’s private area. At first, her eyes blew wide, but then Cat shook her head in disgust and stormed off, not seeing Ridoc’s look of horror as he looked down at Pancheck’s hand. Ridoc grabbed Pancheck’s hand, stopping its journey upward, and then jumped up in disgust.

“You’re hitting on me?” Ridoc managed to squeak out. 

“You’re a beautiful man, Ridoc,” Pancheck smirked.

“So everything you just said–?”

“I’m a man who knows what he wants.” Pancheck merely shrugged.

Ridoc, stung, stared at him for a beat. “And I'm a law student who's finally realized his professor is a pathetic asshole.” Then he walked out, making sure not to let the asshole see how upset he was.

Pancheck called out after him, “Too bad. I thought you were a law student who wanted to be a lawyer.”

Ridoc kept walking, keeping his shoulders straight and his head held high as he went to the elevator. He was flushed and upset, his pounding pulse drowning out everything but the rush of humiliation and anger burning through him. When the elevator doors finally opened, he stepped through them. Just as the doors started to close, Cat stuck her arm in, blocking them.

“You almost had me fooled.” Cat sneered at him. 

“What?” Ridoc asked, feeling slow on the uptake because of everything that had just happened.

“Maybe you should sleep with the judge too,” Cat bit out. “Then we can win the case.” Then Cat stepped back, letting the door shut. 

Ridoc’s breath started coming faster than he wanted it to. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, and he forced himself to loosen them. When the elevator finally reached the first floor, he stomped out and right into Bodhi.

Bodhi, smiling, said, “Hey, I–”

“I’m quitting,” Ridoc said as he marched past. 

Bodhi frowned, then followed Ridoc. “Whoa, why?”

Ridoc couldn’t even look at Bodhi. He felt so stupid . “Law school was a mistake. Getting this internship was a mistake.”

“What’re you talking about?” Bodhi asked. “You earned it–”

Ridoc snorted. “I didn’t earn anything. I got this internship because Pancheck liked the way I looked. Which he made clear tonight when he tried to feel me up.”

Bodhi had to stop to process this, looking more and more pissed as he did so. Mind reeling, he asked, “So now you’re–”

“Going back to LA,” Ridoc said firmly. “Maybe I can fulfill my destiny as the class clown and join a traveling circus. No more law books. No more pretending to be serious. No more trying to be something I'm not.”

“What if you’re trying to be something you are?” Bodhi’s gaze lingered, searching Ridoc’s face like he was memorizing him. Then, like a quiet plea, he said,  “The hell with Pancheck. Stay.”

There was something unguarded in the way Bodhi looked at him, like he was holding his breath, waiting, hoping. Ridoc’s heart stuttered in his chest, the weight of the moment pressing into him. But Ridoc gave him a sad smile and said, “Thanks for not treating me the way everyone else here does. Call me if you're ever in California.”

Then Ridoc turned on his heel and walked away. Bodhi watched him go, hating every second of it.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Ridoc pulled into the climbing gym parking lot as soon as it opened. His car was packed with suitcases and the potted palm he had brought with him from California. Sawyer, seeing how dejected Ridoc looked as he was opening the front door, ushered him towards a climbing problem that was usually the least crowded. Sawyer had to handle a few of the clients who had arrived with Ridoc to the gym, but as soon as he was finished he went back to Ridoc.

“You can’t go home!” Sawyer exclaimed as soon as Ridoc was done explaining what had happened the night before. 

“What’s the point of staying?” Ridoc asked. "All people see when they look at me is a cocky grin and a dumb joke. No one's ever going to take me seriously. The people at law school don't, Dain doesn't — I don't even think my parents take me seriously. Now, for the first time, it seemed like someone expected me to do something better with my life than crack a one-liner and coast by on charm. But I was kidding myself — Pancheck didn't see me as a lawyer. He saw me as a piece of ass. Just like everyone else.”

Sawyer spent twenty minutes trying to convince Ridoc otherwise, but Ridoc was determined to leave law school. Just as Ridoc was hugging Sawyer and getting ready to say his final goodbye, Professor Devera downclimbed from a nearby problem and landed softly on her feet. 

As Devera began removing her climbing gear, she gave Ridoc a pointed look and said, “If you let one stupid prick ruin your life, you're not the person I thought you were.” Then she strode off, leaving Ridoc with a shocked expression on his face. 

Devera’s words echoed in his head, cutting through the haze of frustration and self-doubt that had been consuming him. Devera didn’t coddle anyone. She didn’t waste time on empty praise or manipulation. She just laid the truth bare: Ridoc had a choice. He could walk away, let Pancheck take this from him, or he could stay—not for Pancheck, not for some validation he once thought he needed, but for himself.

Ridoc decided that he wasn’t leaving law school. He was finishing what he started. And this time, he was doing it on his terms.

__

In the jail visitor’s room, Xaden watched as Pancheck was interviewed by a reporter on the evening news.

“Andarna has been discredited as a witness,” a report began. “Did you go in there knowing how you were going to discredit her?”

Pancheck nodded his head. “Absolutely. It’s a little thing I like to call strategy.”

Xaden looked away from the TV, scoffing. Bodhi sat next to him, preparing him for the following day’s court session. Xaden asked, “Is Pancheck always such an ass?”

Bodhi looked as if he wanted to punch something. Then he quickly composed himself and said, “He’s the top defense attorney in the state. Of course he's an ass.”

“But is he an ass that’s gonna win my case?” Xaden asked.

“He’s an ass that’s gonna try,” Bodhi replied.

“He thinks I’m guilty, doesn’t he?”

Bodhi shook his head, not as an answer but in frustration. “That’s not what’s important.”

“To me it is,” Xaden said firmly. “He doesn’t trust me. Why should I trust him?”

Bodhi paused and cocked his head to the side, clearly thinking through something. Finally, he looked at Xaden with a mischievous gleam in his eye. “You know what? You’re right.” Then he began scheming.

In court the next day, Pancheck and Bodhi headed into the courtroom together. Bodhi noticed Pancheck’s eyes moving quickly around the room as if searching for someone. Bodhi asked, “Looking for someone?”

Pancheck’s gaze shot towards Bodhi immediately. When he saw the expression on his associate’s face, his gaze narrowed. “I don’t know what that bastard told you but–”

Bodhi was blatantly pissed now. He cut Pancheck off with a terse, “Funny how a person can turn into a bastard just by saying ‘no’.”

Pancheck glared at Bodhi as they continued into the courtroom. Behind them, Cat stopped in her tracks. She had heard all of this, and she finally realized that she must have misunderstood what she saw. Cat now felt terrible for what she had said to Ridoc. 

When Pancheck finally took his seat next to his client, he realized that Xaden was smiling at him. It wasn’t a pleasant smile, more like the smile of a satisfied cat with a bird in its mouth. 

“What are you so happy about?” Pancheck asked. “You’re on trial for murder.”

“Get up,” Xaden said menacingly.

“What?” Pancheck asked, confused.

“You’re fired,” Xaden said. “I have new representation.”

“Who?” Pancheck snorted.

The door of the courtroom banged open and Ridoc strode in. He was draped in a perfectly tailored Ralph Lauren button-down, and he had Aotrom tucked under his arm. As Ridoc walked down the aisle toward Xaden, he blew a bubble and let it pop. Then he set his briefcase next to Pancheck’s.

“Excuse you,” Ridoc said. “You’re in my way.” Then he nudged Pancheck out of the way.

Pancheck looked at Xaden in disbelief. “He’s a law student. He can’t defend you.”

Ridoc reached into his briefcase and pulled out a marked casebook. He flipped through the book and then pointed to a passage, saying “Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Rule 3:03.”

Just then, the judge called out, “Counselors, approach the bench.”

Ridoc started to head up, but Pancheck grasped his arm angrily. He hissed, “You’re not going up there.”

Ridoc jerked his arm away. “Yes, I am.”

“I don’t think you heard me,” Xaden said. “You’re fired. He’s my lawyer.”

“Counselors,” the judge barked, growing impatient with the delay. “Approach the bench. Now. All of you.”

Ridoc, Bodhi and Pancheck headed up, as did the DA Varrish. Before the judge could say anything, Ridoc handed him the book he had flashed at Pancheck. Ridoc said, “Ridoc Gamlyn, your honor. Rule 3:03 of the Supreme Judicial Court states that a law student may appear on behalf of a defendant in criminal proceedings.”

Varrish looked as stoked as a slimy weasel was capable of looking. “I have no problem with this.”

“I do,” Pancheck said quickly. “I’m not allowing it.”

“But you agreed last night,” Ridoc said pointedly. “In the office? When we were discussing my ‘career’”?

The implication lingered in the air, and Pancheck glared at Ridoc. 

The judge didn’t notice the tension in the air, since he was examining the casebook. He said, “The ruling also states that you need a licensed attorney to supervise you. Mr. Pancheck?”

Pancheck shook his head. “That I won’t agree to.”

Bodhi stepped forward. “I’m supervising, Your Honor.”

Ridoc smiled at him. Pancheck looked from Bodhi to Ridoc, completely derailed.

The judge nodded, handing the casebook back to Ridoc. “Well, then, Mr. Gamlyn. Proceed.”

Ridoc walked back to the table with a grin. Ridoc looked out into the audience and noticed Sawyer beaming, Jesinia in a nose brace next to him. Rhiannon and Violet, now in attendance, stood clapping and squealing in a completely inappropriate way. 

“Go Ridoc!” Violet cheered. As soon as she called out, Xaden’s gaze whipped in her direction. They both locked eyes for a moment, standing frozen. Xaden only forced himself to look away as Pancheck passed by him and muttered, “Enjoy prison.”

The judge looked at Xaden. “Mr. Riorson, you do realize what you’re doing?”

Xaden smirked. “Absolutely.”

As Ridoc gathered his notes at the defense table, Cat leaned forward and said, “Kick some butt.” Ridoc looked at her, surprised, then nodded happily. 

“Mr. Gamlyn,” the judge said. “Call you first witness.”

Ridoc stood up straight and drew his shoulders back. If he acted confident, eventually the feeling would follow. He said, “I’d like to recall Tairn as a defense witness.”

The crowd murmured. Pancheck rolled his eyes in the audience. After Tairn had taken the stand and sworn on the Bible to tell the truth, the judge motioned for Ridoc to begin.

Ridoc said, “First, your Honor, I'd like to point out that not only is there no proof in this case, but there's a complete lack of mens rea, which by definition tells us that there is no crime without a vicious will.”

Varrish rolled his eyes, as did all of the lawyers present. 

The judge looked down at Ridoc, annoyed. “I am aware of the meaning of mens rea. What I am unaware of is why you're giving me a vocabulary lesson instead of questioning your witness.”

Flustered, Ridoc turned to Tairn. “Okay…Tairn. When you…uh…arrived back at the house? Your mother was there?”

“Not that I saw,” Tairn said, bored. “But like I said, I went straight upstairs to take a shower.”

“And when you came downstairs,” Ridoc continued nervously. “What happened?”

“I saw Xaden standing over her body, drenched in her blood.”

“But Mr. Riorson didn’t have a gun?”

“No.” Tairn rolled his eyes. “He’d stashed it by then.”

Bodhi stood and said, “Move to strike that from the record, Your Honor. Speculation.”

“Stricken,” the judge agreed.

Ridoc mentally kicked himself for not doing this himself. Bodhi gave him a reassuring nod, which helped calm his nerves just a bit. Ridoc took a deep breath, then continued, “Did you hear a shot fired?”

“No,” Tairn said. “I was in the shower.”

“So at some point in the – twenty minutes? – you were in the shower, your mother was shot?”

Tairn shrugged. “I guess.”

Ridoc started pacing a bit. Aotrom watched from underneath the defense table. Half of the people in the courtroom looked intrigued by Ridoc’s line of questioning, and half of them looked skeptical.

“Your mother was shot while you were in the shower?” Ridoc said, almost to himself but loud enough for everyone to hear. “But you didn’t hear the shot, because you were in the shower.

Tairn was visible annoyed now. “Yes. I was exfoliating.”

Ridoc felt as if he was onto something, but he still wasn’t sure what. He couldn’t quite place his finger on what he was missing. “Tairn, can you tell us what you’d been doing earlier in the day?”

Tairn slouched in his seat and crossed his arms, ready to be done with this. “I got up, went to Starbucks, went to the gym, went to cryotherapy, and came home.”

Ridoc stopped his pacing, then whipped back to face Tairn. He asked in a more confident manner than he had as of yet, “Where you got in the shower?”

The judge interrupted. “I believe that the witness has made it quite clear that he was in the shower.”

People began to murmur. Pancheck snickered. Cat looked worried. Rhiannon and Violet glared at everyone around them laughing quietly. Bodhi and Xaden seemed to be the only ones who remained cool and collected.

Ridoc chuckled. “Yes, Your Honor.” To Tairn, he asked, “Had you ever gotten cryotherapy before?”

Tairn was not expecting this question. “Yes.”

The beginnings of a small smile started to spread across Ridoc’s face. “How many cryotherapy sessions had you had, would you say?”

“I don’t know. Two a year since I was twelve. You do the math.”

Ridoc turned to the jury and smiled brightly. “You know, a girl in Basgiath, Eya, got cryotherapy once. Even though we all told her not to. Freezing yourself solid really wasn’t the right move for her.” Ridoc paused and said to Tairn in a chummy way, “You look like a guy who enjoys the cold. She did not.” Tairn was still confused as to what was going on. Ridoc continued, “And we were right to warn her. She decided to do a full-body exfoliation right after her session, and she basically rubbed herself raw and passed out from the shock.”

Pancheck shook his head, finding him incompetent. Varrish must have thought the same thing, because he stood and said, “Objection. Why is this relevant?”

Bodhi cleared his throat, worried. Ridoc turned around and gave him a "trust me" look. Then Ridoc turned back to the judge. “I have a point. I promise.”

“Then make it,” the judge replied.

Ridoc looked at Tairn. “Tairn, why is it that Eya passed out in the sauna?”

Tairn said, “Because her nervous system was still recovering from the extreme cold.”

Ridoc nodded. “That’s right. Because isn't the first cardinal rule of cryotherapy that you are forbidden to scrub the skin roughly for at least twenty-four hours after the treatment at the risk of damaging the skin?”

Tairn, finally realizing where Ridoc was going with this, paled. “Y-yes…”

Ridoc continued, “And wouldn't someone who's had — thirty cryo sessions? — throughout his lifetime, be well aware of this rule?”

Tairn didn’t answer, jaw hanging open and looking horrified. 

Ridoc, on a roll now, had more to say. “And if you, in fact, were not in the shower exfoliating, as I suspect you were not, since your skin looks perfectly normal, wouldn't you have heard the gunshot?” Ridoc got closer and closer to the stand as he spoke. “And if you in fact, heard the gunshot, then Mr. Riorson wouldn't have had time to hide the gun before you got downstairs. Which would mean that you would've had to have found Mr. Riorson with a gun in his hand to make your story sound plausible. Isn't that right?”

Tairn, who had begun shaking, finally shot to his feet. He shouted, “He’s younger than I am. Did he tell you that? How would you feel if your mother married someone younger than you?”

Ridoc didn’t answer. Instead, he leaned so close to Tairn that their noses were almost touching and said, “You, however, had time to hide the gun, didn't you, Tairn? After you shot your mother?”

“I didn’t mean to shoot her!” Tairn yelled. He pointed to Xaden as he screamed, “I meant to shoot you!”

Pandemonium erupted in the courtroom, and the judge was forced to bang his gavel to maintain order. Tairn sat back in his seat, eyes wide as he realized what he had admitted to. Varrish seethed, looking as if he wanted to torture someone. 

Ridoc looked at Bodhi, elated but also shocked at what just happened. “Oh, my God!” he said. 

Bodhi repeated, “Oh my God.” But the way he said it made the words sound reverent. 

Ridoc and Xaden could barely make it out of the building with all of the reporters who wanted to talk to them. They were mobbed as soon as they stepped foot out of the courtroom. 

One reporter shoved a microphone into Ridoc’s face and asked, “Ridoc, how did you know Tairn was lying?”

Xaden answered for him. “Because he’s brilliant.”

Ridoc said, more humbly, “The rules of skincare are simple and finite. Any GQ guy would’ve known.”

The reporters laughed and snapped pictures of him and a happy Xaden. Rhiannon and Violet managed to step next to Ridoc and hugged him. Ridoc noticed that Bodhi was standing to the side, and he pulled away to move in his direction. (Ridoc didn’t miss the look that Xaden and Violet gave each other, nor the way they kept inching closer to each other.)

Before Ridoc reached Bodhi, Dain moved in front of him. Dain said, “You were amazing today.”

“Thank you,” Ridoc said, eyes flickering between Dain and Bodhi.

“It made me realize something,” Dain said. “I’m an idiot.”

That got Ridoc’s full attention. “Really?”

Dain turned on the charm, pulling Ridoc close. “I want to be with you, Ridoc. Forever.”

Ridoc looked up at Dain, a trace of the old love in his eyes. For a moment, he melted. But then he locked eyes with Bodhi, who was now frowning. Ridoc stepped back and removed Dain’s hand from his waist, wrenching it from his back. “I only want to be with you in court. On opposing sides.”

Dain was shocked. “Are you serious?”

Ridoc thought about it for a moment, then said, “Huh. Imagine that. Looks like I am.”

Ridoc walked down the steps toward Bodhi. Dain watched her go, then turned to see Cat, who witnessed the entire thing. Cat glared at him while she walked past, shoving him a bit as she did.

Cat called out, “Ridoc, wait up!” Ridoc turned towards her. Cat looked sheepish as she said, “I’m a bitch.”

“Yes, you are,” Ridoc agreed.

“And Pancheck’s a scumbag for coming on to you.”

“Yes, he is.”

They looked at each other in a silent truce. Then Cat asked, “So, can we drink that champagne when I get back from the pawnshop?” Cat pulled off her engagement ring.

“You’re pawning the rock?” Ridoc asked.

“Hell, yes,” Cat said. “We’ve got finals to study for.”

She smiled and headed off. Ridoc took a few seconds to process this, then smiled. Bodhi, who had finally gotten sick of watching Ridoc getting interrupted on his way to him, approached Ridoc himself. 

“Up for a celebration dinner?” Bodhi asked.

Ridoc grinned. “Are you asking me on a date?”

“As long as you realize I'm not just some man-toy you can show off like a trophy,” Bodhi said.

Ridoc sighed. “Then forget it. Besides, I have an early class tomorrow.”

“So…Friday at eight?”

“Perfect.”

They both smiled at each other. Ridoc headed down the stairs, stopped and thought for a moment, then runned back up. Ridoc grabbed Bodhi in a hellacious kiss, which Bodhi returned eagerly.

THE END

Chapter Text