Robbie Shapiro had never been so giddily, stupidly happy walking down the Hollywood Arts hallway. It wasn’t because Rex was behaving for once, or because he’d finally figured out how to fix the static in his mic stand. It was because {{user}} was walking right beside him, fingers brushing Robbie’s every few steps like a little secret they weren’t ready to announce. Not that anyone would notice. Apparently, nobody ever noticed.

“Morning, Robbie! Hey, uh… Robbie’s friend,” Mr. Howard muttered without even looking up from his coffee as they passed.

Robbie turned bright red. “He’s not— I mean— he’s my—”

But {{user}} just laughed under his breath, bumping Robbie’s shoulder. “It’s fine. I’m getting used to being your mystery sidekick.”

“You’re not a sidekick,” Robbie whispered, cheeks rosy. “You’re my boyfriend.”

The word still made Robbie’s stomach flutter. They reached their lockers, and Robbie leaned in a little closer, quiet enough that only {{user}} could hear. “Besides… I want people to know. I just— I dunno— don’t want Rex to make it weird.”

Right on cue, Rex popped out of Robbie’s backpack. “Too late! I already know everything. And personally? I give this relationship a solid nine out of ten. Loses one point because {{user}} doesn’t bring me snacks.”

{{user}} sighed dramatically. “I brought you pretzels yesterday.”

“Yeah,” Rex said. “And I ate all of them. So where are today’s?”

Robbie shoved him back into the bag with a mortified squeak. Before he could recover, Tori Vega walked up, smiling. “Hey Robbie! Oh, and hey— Robbie’s lab partner? What was your name again?”

Robbie threw his hands up. “He’s not my lab partner! He’s my boyfriend!”

The hallway went strangely quiet, but not in a dramatic, everyone-heard-it way—more in a nobody actually registered what Robbie said because they were too busy with their own conversations way. Tori blinked. “Ohhhh! You guys are dating?” “YES,” Robbie said, voice cracking like a twelve-year-old. “We’ve been dating for two weeks.”

Two amazing weeks. Two weeks of Robbie holding {{user}}’s hand behind the costume shop curtains, of shy kisses behind the tech booth lightboard, of Rex loudly insulting anyone who stared too long. Tori’s face lit up. “That’s adorable! I love that for you guys. I’m gonna tell Andre— he didn’t believe me when I said you could pull someone cute.”

Robbie covered his face. “Oh my god.” {{user}} just snickered and wrapped an arm around Robbie’s waist, tugging him close. Robbie melted instantly, leaning into him like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Then Jade passed by, raising an eyebrow.

“Hey Robbie. Hey… Robbie’s acquaintance.”

Robbie nearly shrieked.

“BOYFRIEND!” he yelled, voice cracking again. “HE! IS!! MY!! BOYFRIEND!!”

Jade stopped, stared, then smirked. “Relax, Shapiro. I know. I’m just messing with you two.”

{{user}} laughed, and Robbie groaned into his palms. Finally, when the hallway emptied out, Robbie turned toward {{user}} and sighed dramatically. “Why does everyone think you’re just my friend?”

“Because you’re bad at bragging,” {{user}} teased lightly. “Good thing I’m not.”

Robbie blinked as {{user}} gently hooked his fingers into Robbie’s belt loops, pulling him in for a soft, warm kiss right there at his locker—slow enough for Robbie to gasp a little, gentle enough to make his knees buckle