Archive of Our Own ^beta

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Jimmy was only vaguely aware of his surroundings. He could hear the party raging outside the room he was in, could taste the lingering alcohol on his breath, and could feel the plush mattress underneath him, but he had absolutely no idea where he actually was. He knew it was some party, in maybe Cleo's house? But how had he managed to get all the way upstairs and into some random room on his own? That bit was a complete blur, Jimmy's drunkenness combining with how overwhelming the party was.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Jimmy knew he'd probably been out for a bit now, though for how long, he wasn't sure. He wasn't even really sure what'd woken him up, usually when he drank too much, he passed out hard and didn't wake until the next morning. So surely something, more likely someone, roused him from his slumber.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀He was just trying to figure out who, or what, it was, when he felt hands snake around his waist. He was suddenly yanked up into somebody's arms.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Mmm,” Jimmy groaned in protest. He couldn't bring himself to try to escape; it was too hard when his whole body felt like jelly.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Shhh, don't worry, you're okay,” said Jimmy's captor in a whisper.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Satisfied, Jimmy nodded. It was comfy like this, and he didn't seem to be in immediate danger. Or at least, his brain didn't register it as such. 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The party grew louder suddenly, and it was then that Jimmy realized his kidnapper had carried him downstairs. Time really was fading in and out. Jimmy didn't like it.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Whatcha holding Jimmy for?” Asked a feminine voice that was only slightly slurred.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Oh hi Pearl, didn't see you there,” began Jimmy's captor in an odd but familiar accent, “Grian asked me to drive him and Joel home, Joel's in the car already.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Don’ wann’ go home…” Jimmy murmured as he tried to open his eyes to get a better look at his captor and their conversation partner. It turned out he was at a horrible angle for it, and he tried to pull back to see, but his head ended up uncomfortably lolling to the side.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Oops- can you get his head for me?”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Yup!”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀A hand guided Jimmy's head gently to rest on the shoulder of whomever was carrying him.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“See you tomorrow, Pearl!”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Bye…Pearl,” Jimmy called, because it felt important to do so at that moment in time.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀And they were off again. It wasn't long before Jimmy felt a cool breeze on his face, and heard a door slam behind them. 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Hey Jimmy?” Asked his captor softly, “Do you think you could stand up for me for a moment?”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀That idea shocked Jimmy beyond belief. He gasped and buried his face in the stranger's chest, shaking his head no.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Despite their annoyance, Jimmy's captor laughed. “Fine, fine, I'll find another way.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Jimmy felt himself be shifted into a single arm, slightly supported by the stranger's hip. But just as soon as he settled into that position, he was gently sat into a chair of some sort.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀He made grabby hands, once he realized he'd been set down. He finally managed to get his eyes open, and keep them open, to be able to get a good look at his surroundings, and, more importantly, his captor.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀His captor looked quite a lot like Jimmy's kinda-sorta-maybe crush, Scott Major, especially smiling down at him like that. But it surely couldn't be Scott, as Scott had blue hair, and this stranger had brown hair.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Anyone ever said ya’ look like Sco- Scott Major?”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The stranger laughed, and shut the car door, because apparently they were in a car, in Jimmy's face.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The not-Scott slid into the driver's seat beside Jimmy, reaching over to strap Jimmy in, and then himself.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Yeah, I get that all the time,” Not-Scott remarked, “Probably cause he's my twin brother.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“I did…didn’ know Scott had a twin.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Yeah, he doesn't talk about me a lot,” Scott's twin chuckled, “We don't get along.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Jimmy gasped, “How…how can- can't - can you no…not get along with Scott? He's…he's the nicest person I know!”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Scott's a right prick,” a voice said from the back seat, startling Jimmy.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“No!!” Jimmy protested.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Gotta say, I agree with Joel,” not-Scott said.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Well- well, you guys are both wrong! Scott's smart, and- and kind, and patient and-”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“I think I might throw up if you start talking about how pretty he is,” Joel interrupted, “And- maybe just in general actually? Feelin’ really nauseous here.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Please don't,” Not-Scott laughed awkwardly.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Jimmy crossed his arms, “He is pretty. Prettier'n you anyway, Joel!”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Fuck you! You wouldn’ know pretty if it came up and slapped you with a fish!”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Ohhkay, let's calm down now, okay?” Interjected Not-Scott. He was blushing for some reason. “Where do you guys want me to take you?”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Uhhh- shit, um, I can't think of places,” Joel began, “Jim?”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“‘N you think I do?”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Not-Scott sighed with exasperation. “I'll take you guys to Lizzie's.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“You know Lizzie?” Joel gasped.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Nope. If I can't talk about Scott, you can't talk about Lizzie.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Ughhh…” Joel groaned, and there was a soft thud from the backseat.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Jimmy hummed, satisfied. He then turned to Not-Scott, not-so-subtly checking him out.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“I'm Xornoth, by the way,” Not-Scott said as he turned down onto Main Street 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Mm…weird name…who names one kid somethin’ normal like Scott, but the other Zer- Xer? Xrono- what did you say?”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Xornoth,” he laughed, “And even weirder, my sister's name is Shelby.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Weeeeird.” 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Hah, yeah…”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀There was a comfortable silence for a bit, only interrupted by the occasional nonsensical murmuring from Joel, who appeared to be asleep. Xornoth's music choice of some pop song, which Jimmy heard Lizzie singing often, was soft in the background.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“So…did you mean what you said earlier?” Asked Xornoth.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“What'd I say earlier?”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“About m- I mean, about Scott?”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“About how nice and pretty he is?”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Yeah.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Then yeah. Scott's the nicest person I know, he's always…always sacrilege- no, sacrificing and…some word that starts with an a, I dunno what it is.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Xornoth laughed, “I can see that, yeah.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“And then he's so- he's so pretty, like you've seen yourself in the mirror, he's like that. Pretty.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The car swerved, Xornoth nearly hitting a stop sign, but he quickly regained his focus.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Are you- you drunk too?” Asked Jimmy, much too tired to scream.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Xornoth shook his head quietly. 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Then- why-?”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Probably because you just called me pretty?”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Jimmy hummed softly, “I called Scott pretty.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“But you compared him to me, and we're uh- we're identical twins.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Scott's pretty.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Okay.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The car came to a stop as Xornoth pulled into Lizzie's driveway. “I didn't call ahead, I hope she's still awake,” Xornoth muttered.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“What time's it?” 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Mm,” Xornoth hazarded a glance at his watch, which Jimmy noted was exactly like the one he gave Scott for his birthday a few months ago, “About 11.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“She's prob'ly awake, then.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“I'll call her, I'm probably gonna need help with Joel.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Mmhm, do that,” Jimmy smiled at Xornoth, before shutting his eyes and falling back against the headrest. He probably had time to take a little nap.

-

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Jimmy, get up! You're going to be late for class!” Lizzie yelled from the kitchen, startling him awake.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀An arm tightened around Jimmy's waist, and Joel's loud voice yelled back, “He's sleeping!”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Jimmy groggily lifted his head, being met with a scowling Joel who was squished between him and the couch. 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Don't go to class,” Joel whispered.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Joooel!” Jimmy whined. He shoved Joel's arms off of him, moving to stand.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀He headed into the kitchen, Joel abandoned on the couch. He shot a nod towards Lizzie, who was eating fruit loops at the kitchen table, then went to prepare his own bowl of cereal.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“So I guess Grian abandoned us last night?” He pulled a box of cheerios from the shelf.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Mhm, that's what Scott said. I'll drive you to school though.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Jimmy glanced over at Lizzie, bewildered, as he pulled down a bowl, “Scott? I could swear it was his brother who drove us.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Maybe. He looked like Scott,” Lizzie shrugged, “I'm surprised you remember last night at all.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“It's foggy, but…” Jimmy retrieved the milk from the fridge, pouring it into his bowl.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Yeah, I bet. Scott-- or his brother, or whoever that was, had to carry you in, you were out so hard.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Huh,” Jimmy settled down beside Lizzie, quickly beginning to eat his cereal, “You're driving us back to the university, yeah?”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“I wouldn't be awake this early if I wasn't.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Lizzie finished her cereal and brought the bowl to her lips, drinking the dregs of milk remaining. She came away with a milk mustache, which she made no effort to get rid of.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Eat quick, gotta get going soon,” she said as she stood, patting Jimmy firmly on the back.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Lizzie disappeared from the kitchen, and after a moment, Jimmy could hear her attempting to rouse Joel. Jimmy himself continued to eat his cereal, finishing quicker than usual. Rather than following Lizzie's example and giving himself a mustache, he rinsed his bowl out in the sink. 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Then, Jimmy headed to Lizzie's spare bedroom. Why he and Joel hadn't been deposited there rather than the couch, he had no idea. Lizzie probably hated them or something. Regardless, he usually kept a change of clothes in Lizzie's spare room. 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀He found a pair of pants easily, but it took him a bit to find whatever shirt he'd left last time. 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Then, he saw it, and groaned. It was his stupid Captain America hoodie from his Marvel phase. 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“It'll have to do,” he muttered to himself.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“WHAT?” yelled Lizzie from the kitchen.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“NOTHING!” Jimmy rolled his eyes. He could swear Lizzie had superhuman hearing sometimes.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀He sighed as he took one last look at the hoodie, before sliding it over his head.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Jimmy left the bedroom to be met with a strange scene-- Lizzie straddling Joel, peppering kisses all over his face. They both jolted away when they noticed Jimmy standing in the doorway, their faces flushed. Ordinarily, he would have made a big fuss, but he was quite frankly too tired to care. They were both adults, they could make out if they wanted to. Whatever.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Ready to go?” Asked Lizzie, standing up with a forced smile spread across her face.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Mhm,” Jimmy nodded.

-

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The drive to the university was awkwardly quiet. Lizzie had insisted both Jimmy and Joel sit and the back, and neither Lizzie nor Joel seemed to be wanting to talk. It was fine, though. It was a short drive.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Jimmy's stop was first; he practically jumped out of the car while it was still moving. He was already decently late for class, but he figured he should still hurry.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Luckily, the door was open, and it seemed the professor hadn't even gotten there yet. Jimmy dashed to his regular seat, right beside Scott, who was abnormally wearing a gray Totoro hoodie with the hood pulled over his head.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“You're late,” Scott hummed, a small smirk across his face.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Yeah, sorry, I crashed at Liz's after a party last night and she didn't wake me up in time,” Jimmy said.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott giggled at that, and Jimmy felt his face turn pink. He hoped it wasn't too obvious. He decided to change the subject, “I met your brother last night.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“My brother?” Scott tilted his head, clearly feigning confusion as there was a shit-eating grin on his face. “I have a sister, but not a brother.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Sure you do!” Protested Jimmy, “Xornoth? Looks like you but with brown hair?”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Ohhh, I think I know what you mean,” Scott's grin grew wider as he pulled down his hood. 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Beneath the gray expanse of fabric, Scott's hair was brown, just like Xornoth's. Jimmy stared, open-mouthed, face progressively growing redder and redder.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Sooo, what do you think? Dyed it back to my original color!” said Scott casually, as if he hadn't just revealed something earth-shattering.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Watchers above…” Jimmy muttered, still staring, “You were Xornoth?”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott nodded.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“And- and I said all that stuff to your face?”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Again, Scott nodded.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Jimmy faceplanted into the table, “I'm going to run away and join the circus.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“I'm-- I--” Scott stuttered, “You want to-- what?”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“I can't believe I didn't fucking know it was you!”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“But the circus-- nevermind. Going to move away from the circus.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Like, ‘oh hi I'm Xornoth I'm Scott's secret identical twin who you've never heard of’ how did I believe that??”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Okay but in your defense,” Scott grasped the back of Jimmy's hair, yanking his face up off the table, “You were reeeeally drunk.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Yeah, but I basically- I basically confessed my love to you-” Jimmy gasped, as if actually realizing this for the first time, “Watchers above, I confessed my love to you.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Mhm, you did do that,” Scott nodded pleasantly.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“And you're just-- you're just fine with this?!”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Mhm. Do you wanna go on a date with me, Jimmy?”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“What-- I mean-- yes. Obviously. Yes.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀“Good! I'll pick you up from your dorm at six.”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀And that seemed to be the end of that conversation, as Scott leaned back in his seat, looking towards the front of the classroom. The professor still hadn't arrived. As they sat in silence, Scott's hand snaked its way into Jimmy's. Everything was going to be okay.