Chapter Text
Bear slumped down in his chair as he aimlessly scrolled through his com TCD.
He felt oddly lonely at DC's birthday party. Sure, his friends were with him, but they were all off doing something. DC had been reeled in by a group of people that wanted to–probably–gush at her or something. Alex was god knows where in the massive ballroom. And Jordan. Well, Jordan was currently stuffing his face with the absolutely delicious food at the buffet table. According to him the food was almost as good as gammys apple pie. Bear had made a mental note to try some of it later.
He wasn't entirely sure why he hadn't joined Jordan with clearing off the table, he just… didn't feel like it…
Bear was so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed someone approaching the table he was sitting at. He jumped at the sudden sound of a chair being pulled out beside him. Looking over he sees none other than Declan Sterling.
He didn't know much about Declan other than the fact that he was in Alex's Epsilon combat class (and that he was quite attractive).
"OH sorry" Declan quickly apologized "I didn't mean to give you a freight" he smiled guiltily and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Don't worry about it," Bear quickly reassured him.
Saying Bear was confused by the sudden company was a slight understatement. Why had Declan of all people come to give Bear company???
There was a moment of awkward silence before a slow conversation started.
"You're Declan right?" Bear mentally cringed at the question. 'Of course that's Declan!!! You literally go to the same school!! Dumbass.'
Declan stared at Bear blankly for a moment before snapping back into reality.
"Yep, that's me!" Declan grinned widely, radiating happiness.
"And you're Bear. One of Alex's best friends."
Bear smiled sheepishly at the title.
"Heh, yeah that's me."
Bear didn't know what to say.
He liked to believe that he could easily talk to and hold a conversation with anyone. However for some reason when he talked to Declan all social skills were thrown out of a window at the top of a 50 story building in the middle of the ocean.
Suddenly Bear realizes something. "Wait, why and how are you at this party?" Bear asked in a somewhat demanding tone. He had somehow forgotten that he was currently at a royal party.
Declan looked confused for a moment.
"Well my Grandfather–Jaxon–is the royal adviser. So I'm normally invited to these parties. A Lot of the time I don't go, they're not really that interesting for me. Plus, you have to wear these horrible outfits."
Bear nodded as Declan rambled on. He was slightly intrigued by the information he had been given.
"So that would mean you already knew DC is the 'Princess of Medora' " Bear said, mimicking a posh accent as he said the last part.
Declan let out a small laugh that seemed to light up everything around him.
"Yes, you would be correct" Declan replied, replicating Bear's posh tone.
Bear couldn't help but giggle at the response.
"So. What made you come sit with me?" Hopefully he will get a decent answer.
"Well.. you looked lonely, and.." Bear waited intently for Declan to finish his sentence. "And parties are boring when you're lonely." Declan looked as if he wanted to say something else, but he couldn't.
As he thought on Declans answer he couldn't help but feel touched. While the second half of his sentence was slightly underwhelming, it still showed that Declan was kind enough to sit with a complete stranger. But why would he come and sit with a complete stranger.
"Why did you come sit with me? I mean you don't even know who I am" Bears tone was unintentionally defensive as he spoke.
"Well you're not entirely wrong there" Declan paused "I just took a guess and assumed that you were nice enough to be friends with. I mean if you can handle being friends with Queenie then you can probably handle anything."
"Thanks for considering me to be nice." Bear says as he wracks his brain to figure out who 'Queenie' may be. Suddenly something clicks.
"Is this 'Queenie' you're talking about a reckless danger magnet that almost always finds herself in the medical ward?"
Declan's burst of giggles is all he needs to confirm his theory. "That's a perfect description of her '' He says through his fit.
Declan continues laughing, however he also does something else. Subconsciously, Declan places a hand on bears shoulder to steady himself.
Bear knows it means nothing however, he finds himself leading into the touch before discretely pulling back. His cheeks go pink with embarrassment.
Declan notices bear pulling away but chooses not to mention it. Instead he removes his hand and lets out a small laugh which causes Bear cheeks to go from a dusty pink to a vibrant red.
"What!" Bear exclaimed, his voice cracking slightly.
Declans laughing ceased. "Nothing, nothing I just… you look kinda cute when you're embarrassed"
Bear's face and neck were now on fire from a mix of embarrassment and being flustered.
"I-uh um" Bear couldn't form proper words after what he had just heard.
Declan flushed with embarrassment when he realized what he had just said.
"Sorry. I uhh didn't mean to say that (outloud). So uhh.. can we pretend I didn't just say that. Please."
"YEP!" Bear exclaimed ten times louder than needed.
He ignored the people who were now looking at the two of them, hoping that none of his friends had heard him.
"OH sorry. Didn't mean to say that, so loud" Bear said with a grimace.
Declan let out a huff of laughter.
"Don't worry about it" Declan smiled warmly.
The orchestra hidden above the buffet table slowly finished the song they had been playing and started on a new song.
"Do you know how to waltz?" Declan suddenly asks.
His answer was quite obviously no, he had never been a very good dancer. Even when Jordan had tried to teach him something as simple as a waltz, he never managed to fully grasp it. When he had danced with Alex at the New Year's Eve Gala he had been pretty terrible. However at the time he had been dancing with Alex who was just as bad if not worse–no offense Alex–than Bear at dancing.
"Uhh, sort of. I never really got the hang of it though." Bear answered truthfully.
"Hm.. well maybe I could help you with that"
Bear gave him a confused look. What was Declan implying?
Declan stood up abruptly, startling Bear slightly before holding his hand out for him.
"May I have this dance?"
Bear couldn't find the words to answer him as his mind raced. He slowly reached up and took Declans hand and Declan pulled him up out of his seat, leading him to the dance floor.
"I've uhh.. I've never really done this before" Bear quickly says to the taller boy as he suddenly feels rather anxious.
"I thought you said you'd waltzed before?" Declan stated.
"Well yeah, but i've only ever been the lead not the follow"
"Ah, don't worry" Declan smiled down at him "I'm an excellent dancer." He grinned.
Bear was hesitant as Declan led him into the hold position.
"Uhh, how should I hold my hands?" He hadn't spent much time looking at how the other people on the floor were holding their hands.
"Put your left hand on my shoulder and hold my hand with your right."
Bear followed Declans instructions and hesitantly held his hand out for Declan.
He wasn't sure why he felt so flustered when he held Declans hand. He had danced with other people before but never once had he felt this flustered.
Maybe it was because he had only ever led a dance and never followed.
Declan counted the beat of the music out loud before leading them into a slow waltz.
It took a bit of getting used too–and a few misplaced feet–but they soon fell into a rhythm Bear was able to follow.
He smiled to himself as he realized how well he was doing. Looking up at Declan, Bear realizes that Declan was watching him intently.
He blushes and quickly looks away from Declans gaze. However he soon looks back up at his–dance–partner's face. Bear stares at Declan's eyes as the taller leader leads them around the large ballroom.
There's something..Beautiful about Declans eyes.
They're dark like a night sky, the reflections look like stars that decorate it.
Bear feels himself get lost in the dark abbas that are Declan's eyes.
It isn't until the music comes to a slow stop that he finds his way back to reality.
Declan breaks their hold by leading Bear into a final spin. Bear feels his cheeks heat up slightly as he realizes how silly he must look. However right now it doesn't matter.
Declan once again offers Bear his hand. Bears take it and Declan leads them off the dance floor and towards the table they were previously sitting at.
As they approach the table, Bead spots Jordan already sitting down and drops Declans hand. Next to Jordan, Bear can hear DC scolding Jordan about how much food he has.
Jordan turns to Bear as he sits down
"Hey Bear!" Jordan greats "Hey Declan!"
"Hey Jordan" Bear greats, Declan waves
Bear pulls out a chair from beside Jordan and sits down.
"Nice to see you got away from all those people Dix"
DC smiles at Bear then sighs
"Yeah, it wasn't easy though"
Bear looks around the table and notices that someone is missing.
"Do you guys know where Alex is?" He asks
Looking to his side he sees a snickering Jordan.
"She's on the dance floor" he points to where Alex is dancing with Kaiden.
"Looks like she enjoying herself" Bear hummed
"Enjoying starting at Kaiden" DC mutters under her breath. Bear can't help but snort at the princess's comment. He feels Declan tense up as he tries to stifle his laugh.
DC sends them an amused glare. She hadn't thought anyone had heard her.
Many minutes pass before Alex joins the group at the table. She lets out a tired sigh as she slouches into the plushed chair. Bear, DC and Jordan share amused glances, Bear can hear Declan quietly snickering to himself.
"I guess that's my que to leave" Declan says, when he spots Kaiden. Quietly, he exits his chair. "It was fun hanging out tonight" he says to Bear "I'll see you at school?" Bear grins and gives a simple "See you at school" as he waves Declan off.
Tonight really had been fun, more fun than normal parties were anyway. Bear hoped he and Declan would be able to become good friends in the next school year.
Bear had tuned out the conversation–which was mainly just teasing–Jordan and DC were having with Alex. He only really tuned back in when Alex asked him a question.
"You're friends with Declan?"
"Um-uh, yeah. I guess so" Bear answered. "He saw me sitting alone so he came over and hung out with me"
Alex hummed at his response "Yeah that sounds like him" Bear laughs slightly at the comment.
The group settled into a comfortable conversation that lasted the remainder of the night. Soon it was time for Bear and Jordan to leave. The two boys hugged Alex and DC goodbye and bubbledoored home.
Bear's family were all asleep when the boys got back to his house. They tried up the flight of stairs towards Bear's attic-bedroom. Quickly, they changed into their pajamas and hopped into bed.
Bear hadn't realized just how tired he was until his head hit his pillow. Just as he started to doze off into a peaceful sleep Jordan spoke.
"So you and Declan huh?" He looked amused, Bear didn't understand why.
"What makes you say that?" Bear sends his friend a confused look, what was he trying to imply?
"Nothing, nothing," Jordan says through a yawn. "We should probably get some sleep, it's like" He grabs his ComTCD to check the time. He makes a hissing sound when he sees the time. "It's like 1am."
Bear didn't know why Jordan's was being so dramatic about it being 1am, this was probably considered early for Jordan considering he pretty much didn't sleep when it came to the holidays. Bear honestly didn't know how he did, especially when he seemed like he had gotten 9 hours of sleep when morning came.
"Whatever" he grumbles tiredly "Night Jordan"
"Night Bear."
As Bear's eyelids droop shut, he's transported into a blissful sleep.