Preston smiled excitedly as he looked in the mirror at the oversized suit he was wearing, bouncing on his heels with an overtly energetic laugh escaping his lips.

"Are you excited? I'm so excited. I've been waiting for this for so long. My mom and dad went to prom together! And my dad wore this very suit. He always told me it gave him good luck with my mom because that was when they had their first kiss."

Preston explained all in one large breath, turning around with the same big grin plastered on his face as he took another deep breath and giggled. Vero smiled faintly, finding Preston's excitement amusing, and nodded a bit in response. He stood up from the seat he was in and walked over to ruffle Preston's hair affectionately, earning him the flustered expression Preston always got when Vero touched him in any way.

Cute.

Vero thought, letting his hand slip down to Preston's untied tie,
"Oh, I don't know how to tie a tie. It's uh... a little bit difficult for me as you would imagine. Do you know how?" Preston asked, a hopeful tone in his voice.

Vero looked away embarrassedly and shook his head, pulling his hand back to touch his tie.
Preston chuckled and shrugged, "Oh, that's okay, we can ask David to tie them for us!"

Preston's excitement seemed to only increase with every moment, stepping away from Vero for a moment to grab his phone,

"Oh! Oh! Pierce says they're all on their way over to the venue now. Let's finish up quickly and head over, okay?" Preston quickly stated, putting away his phone to grab Vero's hand instead and leading him down the steps in a hurry. Vero tripped over himself slightly as he followed along and nearly slammed directly into David who was waiting at the end of the stairs with a camera pointed at them.

"Smile!" David cheered and Preston didn't hesitate to pull Vero close and flash another bright smile. Vero pulled his mask up slightly and turned away from the camera, instead choosing to focus on Preston. David laughed lightly and put the camera to the side,

"Alright, alright Vero you can relax I put the camera away," David teased as Vero let go of some of the tension in his shoulder and offered another small smile.

"Aww but... our ties aren't fixed up in the picture," Preston whined to which David seemed surprised, not having noticed it before.

"Oh, I just assumed Vero knew how to tie them since he always dresses so fancy. You really don't know how?"

Vero shook his head. There was a slight pause, a small mischievous smile on David's face appearing when he spoke again,

"That's fine! I'll teach you right now. Then you can practice by tying Preston's tie," David suggested as he walked closer to Vero. Vero looked surprised at the suggestion but decided to go along with it, watching carefully as David began to demonstrate how to tie it. They repeated it a few times before Vero decided he had the steps memorized and turned to Preston,
"I'm sorry if it turns out bad..." He said softly to which Preston shook his head and bit his lip nervously at their closeness. Vero had surprisingly done a good job at his first time trying it, getting ready to tighten the tie but stopping midway when the flash of a camera surprised both him and Preston. Both of them turned quickly to face David, who laughed loudly as he spoke.

"Hey hey! Don't look at me like that. It was the perfect moment to recreate—"

"Oh my god, it's just like—!"

Neither David nor Preston finished their sentences, leaving Vero puzzled as Preston scrambled down the hall and plucked a picture frame from off the wall, and ran back. He held it next to the picture David was showing off on the camera and Vero felt his face become warm as he realized the framed photo was of Preston's parents; a candid photo of Preston's mom lovingly fixing up his father's tie, and the photo David had taken looked almost the same. Vero stared at it silently for what felt like forever until he felt Preston tugging at his sleeve and met his gaze once more.

"We should probably get going! We don't want to be late," Preston said, pulling Vero closer to the door. David quickly ran over and blocked the door, holding his arms out for a hug and shaking his head,

"Wow, leaving without a hug for me? Rude," David teased as Preston quickly let go of Vero to practically jump into David's arms. David lifted him up and ruffled his hair happily before both of them calmed down some,

"I'm proud of you kid, have fun alright? And be safe and text me every once in a while so I can check up on you," David said, grasping Preston's shoulders. Preston nodded dutifully and smiled,

"Thanks, David," He said with a quieter tone before moving away to grab his helmet. Vero grabbed his helmet from the side of the front door as well and was about to put it on but David stopped him.

"Hey! Wait, I want to talk to Vero before you guys go, alright? Preston, you can go ahead and step out for a minute," David said to which Preston frowned,

"Don't go scaring him."

David laughed and shook his head,

"All good things. Don't worry. Now get outta here you rascal," David replied, jokingly pushing Preston out the door while Preston swatted his hand away and laughed, stumbling outside a bit but ultimately waiting patiently for their talk to be done. David's laugh softened and he turned his attention to Vero, who drummed his fingers against his helmet nervously while he anticipated what David was going to say.

"Listen I... know we didn't get along when you first got here but... now I'm really glad you're staying with us. I haven't seen Preston this excited in a while and I know it's because he's going to prom, and it's a big deal to him, but it's also because you're going with him. So... I just wanted to say thanks. And I-I'm proud of you too and like having you around and I know you're not really big on hugs or anything so..." David began to blabber on but Vero awkwardly wrapped his arms around David and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you too, David. I will make sure Preston has a good night," Vero replied quietly, his hands trembling with nervousness but he felt happy regardless. He let go of David who smiled brightly and patted Vero's back awkwardly in return,

"Alright. Be safe on that motorcycle of yours and make sure Preston wears his helmet. I love you both to death but if anything happens to Preston I won't hesitate to—"

"I said don't scare him," Preston huffed, having peered into the room just a second before.

"Hey! It goes both ways. If you ever got Vero hurt I'd kick you out," David said jokingly. Preston gasped, putting his hand over his heart dramatically,

"Oh, you wouldn't! I'm the one related to you!"

"Yeah but Vero does all the cleaning."

Preston huffed but couldn't hold back his laughter,

"Alright, alright. Let's leave before David hurts my feelings a little more," He said and smiled as Vero walked outside with him and laughed at the banter between the two. David waved to them both happily and watched them as they both walked to the motorcycle. Vero put on his helmet before picking up Preston's helmet off the ground to help him put it on.

"I look dumb, don't I?" Preston asked, his voice muffled. Vero adjusted the helmet on him a bit and chuckled.

"Only a little," Vero answered, his hand once again traveling to Preston's tie and he let his hand linger there for a bit longer, admiring how sweet Preston looked. Preston's head tilted to the side with the weight of the helmet and the oversized suit only made him look smaller, and the empty sleeve on his right swung side to side in the light breeze.

"Aww, now you're being mean to me too," Preston replied to which Vero shook his head quickly,

"You look perfect, Preston."

Despite not being able to see his face, Vero already knew Preston was blushing furiously by the way he instinctively turned and distracted himself by pointing to the motorcycle,

"W-We should get going!" Preston announced loudly. Vero laughed and nodded, hopping onto the motorcycle and smiling when he felt Preston's arm wrap around his waist and hold onto him tightly.

The drive there was uneventful but quiet and calming. The city seemed calm, surprisingly, and Vero enjoy the feeling of the wind against him, as well as the feeling of Preston clutching onto his shirt with his weight, pressed again Vero's back. It was comforting being close to each other, and Preston always seemed less on edge when they rode the motorcycle together. It wasn't long until they arrived at the venue which was bustling with hundreds of students all ready to have an eventful night and cars searching for the perfect spot to park. Vero managed to find a quiet spot towards the very back and parked the motorcycle, feeling slightly dizzy at the sight of so many people walking around but ignoring it. Both of them got off of the motorcycle and Vero turned to help Preston take off his helmet, happily ruffling Preston's hair once the helmet was off. Preston smiled sheepishly and looked away, the blush that hadn't left his cheeks all night darkening more. Preston quickly returned his gaze though once Vero reached up to take off his own helmet, shaking his hair out slightly which Preston reached up and stopped him from doing,

"You'll mess up your braids!"

"Oh... sorry," Vero said softly, leaning down a little so Preston could reach up and flatten down his hair. Preston looked up at Vero admiringly, both of them ignoring all their surroundings for just a quick moment to share their loving gazes. Preston moved forward closer to Vero subconsciously, his hand resting on Vero's cheek calmly however their moment finished with the loud buzz of Preston's phone and a startling zap that made Vero jump and stumble back, wincing from the sudden pain.

"O-Oh! Oh my god I'm so sorry," Preston immediately apologized, covering his face and looking away but Vero shook his head and moved Preston's hand gently,

"It's okay. You should answer that," Vero reassured him and pointed to Preston's ringing phone in his coat pocket. Preston quickly answered the phone and stepped away for a moment to talk while Vero leaned against the motorcycle and observed their surroundings. It didn't take long for that nervousness he felt for a brief moment to creep back up, his chest tightening with anxiety as he looked at the bright flashing lights of the venue and heard laughter and loud talking from all the people scurrying around. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes and trying to tune out the noise.

"Pierce says they're right next to the entrance waiting for us. Ready to go?" Preston asked, putting his phone back into his pocket and reaching his hand out towards Vero. Vero opened his eyes again and graciously took Preston's hand, nodding a bit and following Preston's lead as they began to weave their way through the mess of cars and fancily dressed people. Vero could feel his hands beginning to tremble again and his vision became cloudy as they moved closer to the entrance and in turn, moved closer to everyone else. Every time someone brushed up against his side he'd tightened his grip on Preston's hand and close his eyes, letting Preston guide him through the crowd until they reached a small clearing where the others were waiting. Preston didn't hesitate to turn and quickly reached up to place his hand on Vero's cheek, which made Vero jump slightly.

"Oh gosh, it's a lot of people. Are you okay?" Preston asked worriedly, pulling Vero downwards to get a better look at his face. Vero looked away slightly but gave a nod anyways. Preston furrowed his brows with concern but decided it was best to leave it for now, turning back around to his friends who chatted excitedly amongst themselves.

"Calypso! Bee! You guys look amazing," Preston complimented and smiled. Calypso smiled back and happily, turned to Bee,

"Show him how your dress looks like when it spins!"

Bee laughed lightly and looked embarrassed as she spun around in the short, pink sparkly dress she wore while Calypso motioned to her proudly,

"I think it's safe to say my girlfriend looks the best here," She said and grinned. Preston giggled as he watched Bee and Calypso wrap their arms around each other, and Calypso peppered kisses on Bee's face repeatedly.

"Ugh. They've been like that all night," Pierce said and rolled his eyes dramatically. Preston turned and looked over at Pierce's goth version of a prom outfit—all black with lots of spiky accessories. To Preston's surprise, another boy stood next to Pierce with his arm around him.

"Oh! You... have a date?" Preston said curiously. Pierce laughed loudly,
"Don't sound so surprised, pretty boy. Of course, I have a date. This is my boyfriend Frank," He motioned to the tall, brown-haired guy standing next to him. Frank smiled and seemed friendly enough, waving to Preston and Vero.

"Your...boyfriend?" Preston repeated, sounding surprised to hear it was a long-term thing. Pierce laughed again,

"What is it? Are you jealous? I can't help it that I'm not in love with you—"

"Don't worry, he thinks you two would make a very cute couple. He's told me all about it," Frank said as he messed up Pierce's hair. Before Pierce could even respond Frank began to pepper his face with kisses in the same way Calypso had done to Bee, making Pierce blush furiously and swat away at Frank,

"H-Hey! Quit it asshole! You're embarrassing me!" Pierce whined but it was clear by the smile he couldn't contain that he was enjoying the affection.

"See? If Pierce can find someone to put up with him then anyone can find their soulmate," Calypso teased as she watched the two, now leaning against Bee who was fixing up her lipgloss. Preston grabbed Vero's hand once more, glancing at both of the couples and then looking up with a hopeful gaze after Frank's comment as he could feel his blush returning full force and covering his whole face. Vero, however, seemed to have spaced out and missed it, so he simply squeezed Preston's hand lightly and he ruffled Preston's hair with his free hand. Preston was happy nonetheless to get attention, inching closer to Vero's side.

"Let's head in and try to grab a table before they're all taken up," Calypso suggested, leading the way through the front doors with Bee at her side. Frank had finally stopped kissing Pierce, who looked frazzled and flustered and motioned after them. Pierce huffed dramatically before taking Frank's hand in his and following Calypso and Bee in without another word. Preston began to lead Vero into the building as well, following along with the others for a while before they all managed to find an empty table with just enough seats for all of them. Everyone began to settle down, putting their belongings in different seats and chatting amongst themselves in their pairs once more. Vero quietly sat down in one of the seats next to Preston, watching as Preston grabbed his seat and moved it as close as he could to Vero's so he could lean his head on Vero's shoulder when he sat down. Vero carefully wrapped his arm around Preston and tangled his fingers in Preston's curly hair.

Vero could feel himself getting overwhelmed already; the loud music blasting through his ears and the people who kept passing by and surrounding them made his entire mind go fuzzy. His only comfort was how soft Preston's hair was, and feeling Preston's hand messing with his tie. For once though, Preston's comfort didn't feel like enough. It felt as though everyone was watching him even though he was sure no one was, but he couldn't shake the feeling that things were awfully wrong. He closed his eyes again, trying to take a deep breath but it hitched in his throat causing him to quickly let out a shaky breath. He glanced down, wondering if Preston had noticed but the music was more than enough to disguise it.

"Bee and I are gonna go dance, if you guys wanna follow you can!" Calypso said, not wasting any time as she lead Bee to the dance floor excitedly, Bee giggling and following along behind her. Pierce watched them and then shook his head,

"Uh, Frank and I are probably going to see what food they've got. We'll bring you guys something back if you watch our stuff," Pierce said and shrugged. Preston nodded a bit and smiled,

"Sounds good! Thanks," Preston replied, watching as Pierce and Frank left the table as well. He looked back up at Vero, noticing the anxious expression on Vero's face.

"Oh! Is it too loud in here?" Preston asked worriedly. Vero furrowed his brows a bit and wanted to lie and say no but his body betrayed him, nodding his head slightly in response. Preston frowned and sighed slightly.

"I'm sorry, I knew it was gonna be really loud. I probably should've warned you...But it's alright! We can just sit here while you get adjusted to it! Plus we still have to wait for Pierce and Frank to get back anyway..."

Vero could hear the slight disappointment in Preston's voice despite his best efforts to hide it and frowned, ruffling Preston's hair a bit as he sighed as well.

They both sat in silence for what felt like an eternity, multiple songs going by without any sign of Pierce or even Calypso and Bee coming back. It seemed with every song that passed Preston became a little more upset, the bright smile on his face turning a faint one and Vero became a little more nervous. Despite the suggestion, it didn't seem just sitting at the table was helping Vero's anxiety at all and instead only worked to build up his anxiety even more. Vero felt as though he could hardly breathe and now his hands were trembling so bad he had to pull away from Preston slightly, which seemed to disappoint Preston even more. As a slow song came on though, Preston perked up once more, turning to Vero and reaching for his hand,

"H-Hey! I... know you're nervous but... do you wanna dance to one song...? W-We can stay by the table so we can watch everyone's stuff and you don't have to be on the dance floor, a-a-and this song is pretty short and—" Preston stammered nervously. Vero moved his hand tangled in Preston's hair to Preston's cheek, quieting him down and nodding a bit in agreement. Preston's bright smile returned in an instant and he quickly jumped up from his seat, pulling Vero up with him and laughing giddily.

Vero stumbled a bit when he stood, his legs shaky along with the rest of him and his vision blurry. He tried to ignore the nervousness that he felt but the second he was on his feet and even just inches away from the table it all began to spill out at once. His minor attempt at ignoring it to at least give Preston one dance failed immediately, his breaths becoming short and quick and his knees giving out underneath him causing him to stumble forward and fall into Preston. Preston barely stayed up himself, helping Vero steady himself for a moment and shaking his head,

"Vero, hey, it's okay, we don't have to," Preston insisted though this time it seemed Preston couldn't muster up a fake smile, "Do you want to take a second outside to calm down a little? I can sit here and wait for Pierce."
Vero wanted to shake his head no but couldn't bring himself to say anything in return and suddenly found his hands at his side clutching at the ends of his coat so tightly his knuckles were turning white. Finally, he nodded slightly and looked over at the door and then back at Preston and offered another faint smile in return,
"It's okay Vero. Take your time and if it's an emergency you can call me and I'll come right out, okay?" Preston reassured him. Vero nodded, again wanting to say at least another quick apology but it felt as though he'd lost his voice. He looked at Preston with a saddened expression before turning to make his way outside knowing if he waited any longer he might implode.

Outside was much quieter now since everyone had made their way into the venue. Vero could hear the music still but it was much fainter and the chill air of the nighttime felt nice against his skin. He leaned against the brick wall and looked down at his hands which were still trembling but noticeably less now that he was away from the large crowd and flashing lights. He took a few more deep breaths before he managed to calm down a bit, sitting down on the sidewalk and thinking over everything. A long time had passed before a sudden wave of guilt fell over him as he imagined Preston sitting inside by himself at the table with nothing to do. Vero was sure if David saw how he had just left Preston there alone he wouldn't be happy. Vero tangled his fingers in his hair, accidentally undoing the braids that kept his hair flattened, and sighed deeply. A minute or two more passed before he grabbed his phone, wanting to call Preston out here to apologize and to agree to another dance even if the slow song was long over, but was surprised to find he had little to no service. He furrowed his brows frustratedly and shoved his phone back into his pocket as he stood up from the sidewalk, walking back towards the entrance, and decided this time he'd be prepared for the crowd but by the second he walked in he could sense something was wrong. He noticed the lights above the table they'd all been at were flickering, and there was a small crowd surrounding them including teachers trying to get by.

Vero's previous nervousness dissipated all at once and was replaced by an intense worry as he pushed his way through the crowd to find Preston standing amid all the chaos completely drenched in the fruit punch they were serving while Pierce and Calypso both yelled loudly at a group of boys who all were laughing nearby. Bee seemed to desperately try to clean off some of the punch from Preston's clothes and comfort him but he shrugged her off and shook his head before making eye contact with Vero. Vero could see the tears already welling up in Preston's eyes, and the blush that had been there from excitement suddenly was darkened from embarrassment and humiliation since so many people were staring at him. Just as quickly as they had matched gazes Preston looked away again, focusing on keeping himself from crying in front of everyone. Vero pushed past everyone once more and grabbed Preston's hand, leading him outside without saying anything and ignoring all the following stares as they exited the building into the fresh night air.

The very moment they had left the building Preston became a sniffling, crying mess; tears streamed down his face and his entire body shook with each sob. Vero felt heartbroken watching Preston cry, carefully reaching over to wipe some of Preston's tears and then beginning to help Preston take his topcoat off since it was still drenched. He wrung out the coat only for appearance but actually used his powers to dry it instantaneously, letting the fruit punch pool up next to them both on the ground before he threw the coat over his shoulder and now focused on drying out Preston's hair. Vero ruffled Preston's hair slightly as he dried it out, but for once this gesture only made Preston cry more. Before Vero could dry off any of his other clothes Preston quickly jumped forward and clung onto him in a tight hug. Vero was surprised by this, stumbling back from the suddenness of it but then quickly wrapped his arms around Preston as well and held him just as tightly.

"It's alright, Preston... it's okay... take your time... what all happened?" Vero whispered, tracing circles on Preston's back comfortingly as Preston continued to cry. It took a few minutes before Preston calmed down enough to speak, though he continued to cry throughout his explanation.

"Th-Th-They were waiting for one of us t-t-to be alone so t-they could—so they could d-d-do—th-th—" Preston's stuttering seemed to worsen with every word, getting stuck on his last one which he couldn't move past. Vero pulled Preston closer and shook his head,

"Take a deep breath and take your time. It's alright," Vero repeated reassuringly once more. Preston took a deep breath and nodded, pausing for a while before finishing his sentence,
"S-So they could do this... I-I thought it was you coming back but they came up behind me a-a-and I guess they all spilled th-their cups right over my head..."

Vero nodded along as he listened, gently wiping away Preston's tears with his thumb.
"W-When they started laughing, everyone looked at m-me... Th-That's when Calypso and Pierce came over..." Preston added on before falling silent beside his shaky breath and sniffles. Vero held Preston quietly for a moment more, a billion different thoughts going through both of their heads because Vero finally spoke again,

"Do you... want to go home?" Vero murmured, pulling away to get a good look at Preston's face. Preston thought for a moment before shaking his head,

"I-I want to calm d-d-down before I go see David... Can we just drive for a little while...? I-I can tell you where to go..." Preston suggested, leaning into Vero's touch and looking grateful when Vero nodded. They both began making the way back to the motorcycle silently, Vero's arm wrapped around Preston's shoulders comfortingly while Preston clung onto Vero's shirt like usual.

The quiet drive didn't seem peaceful anymore. Instead, Vero found the silence made his chest ache and the feeling of Preston's grasp on him made his head hurt knowing it was done solemnly. It felt like forever until Preston told him to pull to the side of the road at a random spot Vero had never seen before in the outskirts of the city. They carefully made their way down a small hill until they'd reached an area under the upcoming bridge, hidden away from everything else. Vero parked the motorcycle and took a deep breath as he turned to Preston and helped him take his helmet off once more. Preston's cheeks were stained with tears and his eyes were red and puffy though he tried to mask it all through a small smile. Vero sighed and set both of their helmets to the side before taking in their surroundings once more. The road was surprisingly silent and underneath the bridge was dark, only illuminated by moonlight which showed the multitude of graffiti decorating the concrete walls. Preston walked over and traced his hand over one of the drawings before taking a seat on the grassy ground. Vero trudged over and sat down next to Preston, both of them having a sense of exhaustion about them after all the events in such a short night. There was stillness between the two that made everything about the night feel amplified; the slight breeze felt like freezing winds and the quietness of the road felt unnerving and upsetting.

"David showed me this spot when we first moved here..." Preston began, his voice quiet but more steady now, "He said he'd found it when trying to find a nice place to graffiti. All of his drawings are covered now but you can still kind of see his signature in some spots."

"We walked all the way the here late one night just like this because then there'd be no cars, and instead of spray painting all night like we planned, we just ended up talking. He told me about my grandparents, more childhood stories about him and my mom, more about the trouble he would get into before she took him in to live with us. I had seen David cry a few times before, like when he was younger, but that night... Things were different. He cried and he told me that despite everything, he still wanted to help me lead a life happier than his, but... he just wasn't sure he could do it. I was only ten at the time, so to me, it seemed like David was a full adult, and I couldn't understand why he couldn't buy a house and let us continue to live the life my parents allowed for us. But... He was only eighteen. Now that I'm about to be his age I can't even begin to imagine what he was feeling at the time."

Vero turned to face Preston now, who was staring off into the distance and tracing shapes in the dirt next to him.

"He didn't get to graduate. Or go to prom. He dropped out his senior year because he needed to focus on getting a job and keeping us afloat while also dealing with his addiction, and on top of that he was trying to take care of me with my plethora of problems. I know it's not my fault that I was difficult at the time, but I can't fathom how tired David already was, and then he would also stay up with me until it was light out when I could finally fall asleep without nightmares every single night, and he'd spend every morning before school having to soothe me when I would sob and shake at the thought of riding the bus."

Another spell of silence fell over them as Preston hesitated to continue, a visible tension building up throughout him and his eyes welling up with tears once more but he did his best to keep his voice steady.

"I ruined his life. Again and again... and he still wants the best for me. I think that is what he was trying to tell me then. Sometimes when I get angry with him for not doing everything right, for fucking up some of my life too, I think of that night again and I decide to let it go. I want him to get a chance to be happy too. I thought tonight might be a good chance to show him he didn't have to worry about me anymore... That I know how to have fun now, and I'm happy and I can handle things on my o-own--" Preston's voice caught in his throat as he held back more tears, "I-I know he lives through a lot of my experiences. Prom was supposed to be one of those things... Something I could come home and describe and be happy about but--but now I can't do that because I-I can't handle anything that makes me even a little bit upset. I-I don't know how I turned out so weak when he's always been so strong for me. I-I couldn't even stand up f-for myself. I had to let Calypso and Pierce do it for me because I was too ashamed to do it..."

Preston's frustration caused the raspiness in his voice to be more prominent to which he cleared his throat and tried to keep talking, pulling his knees up to his chest and laying his head atop them as he continued.

"I just wanted tonight to be good... For David and me, and... a-and for you."

Vero reached out and placed his hand on Preston's shoulder, entirely unsure how to respond as he listen to Preston become an incoherent mess.

"I'm sorry, Preston," Vero finally mumbled, scooting closer to his side and leaning his head on Preston's shoulder, "But.. for what it's worth, the night isn't over yet... and I promise I'd at least still have a good night so long as I can spend it with you."

Preston perked up slightly and turned to Vero, though said nothing. Eventually, Vero spoke up again,

"I... am sorry that I have not made anything easier for anyone... tonight included. And I apologize that I'm no good with comfort... but I want to make you happy too Preston. I want to be here for you... And I want to be able to help David too. You both deserve it... and I know you said you're weak but I have always thought you were very strong. Regardless, in moments when you're weak then... th-then let me be your strength." Vero's gaze focused downwards, embarrassed by his inability to clearly explain how he was feeling, but it seemed Preston was touched by the statement anyways. He grabbed one of Vero's hands, holding it tightly and nodding. Vero squeezed Preston's hand back and paused for a brief moment to look at their fingers interlocked before standing up and pulling Preston up with him.

"I know it won't replace prom, but... I still owe you a dance. It doesn't matter where... right...?" Vero asked. Preston sniffled and couldn't help but laugh at the suggestion, nodding again and moving closer to Vero. Vero hummed a soft, elegant tune and danced back and forth with Preston, both of them clumsily tripping over themselves but it seemed to improve Preston's mood. They both laughed a bit, holding each other tighter with each small stumble. It was a while of this before Preston finally spoke up again, looking calmer once again.

"Thank you, Vero," Preston said as he leaned his head on Vero's chest and swayed side to side with him, letting go of Vero's hand so he could wrap his arm around Vero's waist instead. Vero carefully wrapped his arms around Preston and shook his head in response.

"I've hardly done anything..."

"But you're a great listener... A lot of people try to figure out how to solve all my problems. I appreciate that you're not trying to fix me or my life... You're just making it better in any way you can. And right now that's just a dance," Preston replied and took a deep breath before reaching up to place his hand on Vero's cheek, "I know I complain a lot but you've made my life reach the happiest point in years. You've already helped David and me tremendously... Especially me. I... I can't imagine my life without you now."

Vero blushed and found himself leaning into Preston's touch and pulling Preston closer to himself, his hands grasping Preston's shirt as if to try and hold him tighter.

"I can't imagine my life without you either,"
Vero whispered.

Preston smiled at the response but it was short-lived, suddenly looking deep in thought again.

"Preston? Are you--?" Vero began but Preston quickly interrupted,

"I-I already told myself I would either do this tonight or never and...a-and I know tonight hasn't been perfect but..." Preston looked shaky again, closing his eyes tightly as his blush came back all at once.

"Preston...?" Vero said one more time, leaning in a little closer.

"And y-you have to promise me y-you won't hate me afterwards, okay?" Preston added. Vero's eyebrows lifted and he tilted in head slightly to the side not nodded anyways.

"Of course I wouldn't hate you Preston. I promise." Vero reassured him.

It seemed like an eternity before Preston finally spoke again in a voice that was nearly inaudible.

"I'm in love with you, Vero."

Vero furrowed his brows, his blush spreading to the rest of his face as he tried to process what he'd heard, unsure if he had even heard it correctly.

"I know, it's okay, you don't have to feel the same way. I just needed you to know. M-Maybe that's why I'm so emotional tonight. I couldn't stop imagining tonight with you. I just know you are my soulmate. Everything points to it. Too much to be a coincidence, and I know that's stupid but... I just know you are, even if I'm not yours. I just couldn't stand to keep pretending that you aren't the love of my life and I don't want to ruin our friendship but if you can't stand me anymore it's okay--I-I just want to spend the rest of my life with you and--"

Vero shook his head almost immediately as he finally understood all that Preston was babbling about at once. He grabbed Preston's shoulders and touched their foreheads together to quiet Preston down, furrowing his brows as he built up the courage to speak. He could hear his heart pounding prominently in his chest and his vision became blurry once more but with a different kind of nervousness.

"I love you too."

Preston slowly opened his eyes, their gazes meeting for a brief moment before Preston reached back to pull off Vero's mask and leaned in to kiss him without hesitation. Vero hastily leaned in as well, both of them holding each other tighter and kissing until they were breathless, their hands finding different places to rest every once in a while as they tried desperately to pull each other even closer than they already were. Preston pulled away first eventually, catching his breath and watching Vero turn his head to the side out of embarrassment. Preston ran his thumb across Vero's lips and laughed giddily while Vero closed his eyes and chuckled nervously. Preston's light and airy laugh turned into a bright grin as he tilted Vero's face to look at him,

"You really mean it? You really love me too?!" Preston questioned, a glimmer of that excitement from earlier returning to his eyes. Vero nodded quickly and pulled Preston into another tight hug.

"O-Of course I do. You're the most amazing person I've ever met. It would be hard not to," Vero answered lovingly, feeling Preston hide his face in the crook of Vero's neck.

"Can I do something kinda dumb then?" Preston asked. Vero seemed a bit confused by the question, stepping back a little to look at Preston and giving a hesitant nod. Preston jumped up to grab Vero's face and peppered his face with kisses as much as he could like the other two couples had done earlier that night causing Vero to burst out laughing,

"O-Oh my--!" Vero exclaimed, not yet used to the affection Preston was giving him but he held was obviously overjoyed at it by the big grin on his face. He lifted Preston up slightly before they both stumbled once more and Vero fell backwards onto the ground where Preston followed and curled up in his lap,

"Sorry, I got excited," Preston said as he giggled and placed one more kiss against Vero's cheek. Vero placed a kiss atop Preston's head and laughed quietly,

"It's okay... I liked it," Vero held Preston against his chest and played with Preston's curls. They both quieted some as Preston yawned and Vero closed his eyes tiredly. Preston looked over at the side of the ground where he'd been drawing shapes earlier and reached over to draw a small heart, giggling to himself before turning back to Vero to place a few more kisses against his cheeks.

"Um... so... what does this mean for us...?" Vero asked after a while. Preston snuggled closer and seemed ecstatic to answer.

"W-Well—If you want to.... I would love to call you my boyfriend, you know," Preston answered. Vero smiled again and nodded,

"Of course, dear."

"Oh um... as much as I would love to spend the rest of the night here we should probably head home. Plus, I don't know about you but I'm exhausted," Preston sat up a little, looking over Vero's features for a brief moment before briefly kissing his lips once more and then fixing Vero's mask, "Is that okay...? Plus... I've got to tell David how amazing my night was."

"How will we explain coming home early?" Vero asked softly. Preston thought for a moment before shrugging,

"I'm gonna tell him prom was just lamer than I expected. I'd rather we spend time with you and him back home."

Vero smiled sheepishly, closing his eyes again but otherwise staying quiet for another short while, allowing them to enjoy this moment alone together for longer.

After a while, Vero sat up a little straighter, holding Preston even tighter before they both stood up again and nodding with a satisfied expression on his face to signify he was ready to go.

They both gathered their things and got ready to head home, Vero's entire body trembling but with excitement but he felt calmer as they got back onto the road and Preston's arm wrapped around him lovingly. The drive home was shorter, and felt different than both drives earlier—Vero felt almost like he was floating. His thoughts were all a mess but in the best way possible, and when they both arrived to the familiar little house and greeted David with hugs, Vero could do nothing but smile and feel as though things were alright.