Sleepover/The Lab Fire

## Characters Involved

* Fletcher Vireo
* Gagan
* Cliff
* Jacob
* Gavin
* Kiemo
* Summer

## The Event

The event starts sometime during May-August 2019 and starts with Fletcher falling into a panic over his fears of never seeing his family again. He is consoled by Cliff and Gagan who are nearby and offer for him to stay with him following this crisis and earlier threats from Kiemo. Fletcher argues that he doesn't need to be babied and that he can look after himself. In reality, he doesn't want them to stay with him for this reason and because he doesn't want to hang out with them under these circumstances. He's not the most thrilled about a sleepover interrupting his work schedule either but when his friends advocate more for self-care and Gagan admits he's never had a sleepover before, Fletcher starts to think over if this would be a good arrangement-just for a day. After all, he can't be cruel enough to destroy Gagan's chance at a sleepover, especially when Gagan deflates a bit when Fletcher hesitates in regards to coming. And of course, Fletcher was overworking himself and getting overwhelmed quite a bit. He agrees to push research off for a day and allows himself to take time doing other things he enjoys. After this, Gagan explains that as a kid, he wasn't allowed to do too much as a kid so this is nice. Fletcher pities him a bit, having his family care pretty deeply for him and give him several freedoms so long as they believed him to be safe. He is also happy that Fletcher is taking some time off for himself and having some fun too.

When asked what they plan to do in Gagan's room, Gagan brings up reading encyclopedias and make robots as well as them sharing notes about the biologic splicing the others were facing. Fletcher eagerly eats these ideas up and agrees quickly, all of them heading to Gagan's dorm. Fletcher brings up a trivia game called "Two Facts and a Falsity" and suggests it since he used to play it back home with his parents. They end up playing and Fletcher ends up proving just how good he is at the game. Though, Gagan and Cliff do pretty well with it too and Fletcher is impressed with both of them. Before they can play too many rounds, they are stopped by the sound of Kiemo in the hallway. He and Georgia have started threatening Jacob and Gavin. Kiemo feels insulted by the two of them and gets defensive. Jacob insults Kiemo more severely and instead of letting him go, Kiemo spins back to face him, trying to snag him by the throat while demanding what he was thinking. Gavin retaliates to protect Jacob, punching Kiemo in the face and forcing him away. Kiemo gets more upset, arguing he was going to give them a chance. Now he strikes, pouncing at Gavin and hits his side with his knife, missing the taller man's chest. Jacob is reasonably upset as Gavin staggers and begs Kiemo to fight him instead. Kiemo agrees as he pulls his knife free and attempts to fight Jacob. But before he can do too much, Kiemo stops himself, letting both people flee and warning them not to cross him again. Jacob runs to find help for him and Gavin. He finds the trio at the sleepover and they quickly give them aid.

Fletcher, upon seeing the cuts, tries to remember what his parents taught him and starts acting to save them, ordering everyone around him. Fletcher quickly becomes stressed and overwhelmed, worried that Gavin will die in his care. Gagan calms Fletcher down by placing his hands on Fletcher's shoulders. Despite not liking being touched, he tolerates this gesture from Gagan. Gagan then moves on from Fletcher and makes a joke about this being his room to lighten the mood. He sets up a floor bed for Gavin and for Jacob while Fletcher continues to panic. He's reminded of how he couldn't save his own father and how he's a scientist, not a doctor like his father. He can't save Gavin. Gagan assures him again, promising him that he isn't alone and helps give instructions that Fletcher can't because of his panic. Fletcher is able to push past it, calming himself enough to help and together, they do save Gavin. After checking up on him, Fletcher confesses that he's nervous about what Kiemo will do to him and he'll have to prepare for that. Gagan offers for them to room together and Fletcher is surprised. Fletcher does like that that will mean more time for science, tea, and for them to hang out but isn't sure how to feel about the other implications. However, they both agree to it and Gagan says he'll move some of his stuff to Fletcher's dorm later. To comfort Gagan further about him not doing enough to defend Fletcher before, Fletcher copies the gesture Gagan did to calm him down and places a hand on Gagan's shoulder. This surprises Gagan but he allows it as they stand at the counter and chat for a bit longer about their pasts. Fletcher also, as Gagan pulls him closer, telling Fletcher that he's the real special one denies it. He doesn't think there is a special one between them and if there is, they both are. He refuses to see Gagan as less than him. Gagan admits that he likes hearing Fletcher talk and ramble because it means he doesn't have to and Fletcher smiles, feeling validated by it. He moves to say more but Gagan tells him it is getting late.

As it is late, Cliff falls asleep in Gagan's bed, Fletcher and Gagan are left to the floor. They build a nest on the ground after Gagan tells him it's not right to sleep in the same bed as someone as you aren't involved with. Fletcher brings up some small talk and they get talking about Gagan's past and interests. He brings up the time he was 14 and got asked out by a guy, the whole thing not being popular at his house. Gagan admits he doesn't know why he agreed to it though as he barely knew the guy. He confesses too to seeing a few girls but wasn't big in the dating field and wasn't the best kid. Fletcher talks about the expectations placed on him but how he didn't date because he was working on things or just wasn't interested. He wouldn't let himself be because his dreams and work had to come first. He does, however, note that he knew about Cliff's crush on him but he didn't return it. Fletcher after all of this think that he'd be a pretty trashy boyfriend because of how he's been focused and how he behaves. Gagan doesn't think so, believing himself to have been a trashy boyfriend and Fletcher is nothing like him. Gagan tells him that anyone would be lucky to have Fletcher as a boyfriend. This shocks Fletcher and flusters him as Gagan starts listing the qualities in Fletcher he finds admirable. Fletcher isn't sure about that and vents a bit about his overall confusion with those feelings and how he's handled past people being interested in him. He does mention too that he might, after hearing Gagan break down how he felt about Roxy, feel like he might be forming a crush on someone. As he describes the feelings of friendship and how it feels stronger than that and confusing, Gagan starts to wonder if Fletcher is talking about him. He doesn't pry though, yawning instead and admitting that it is late again. As Gagan talks Fletcher to sleep as he is struggling to, it is somewhat implied that Fletcher falls asleep as he rests against Gagan's chest.

When they wake up, Fletcher and Gagan head over to the cafeteria before Gagan into Fletcher's room which they will now share. Unknown to them, Kiemo and Summer had been around Fletcher's room earlier, bent on making the cure speed up. Kiemo was having more reactions to his hybridization the night before and it got so bad it motivated him to take action. Summer eagerly accompanies him as he requests it. Their mission is simple-destroy Fletcher's projects that are not based around the cure so he will only be able to focus on one. It will save more people Kiemo believes and most importantly-it will save himself. He and Summer manage to set the fires quickly and without detection, leaving after they were sure they'd done what they wanted. At the cafeteria, Kiemo confronts Gagan and Fletcher, telling them that he's surprising they're here laughing all things considered. Kiemo ignores Fletcher and Gagan's displeasure at his arrival and he instead asks Gagan if he's reconsidered joining him. Gagan says the offer better be pretty great and Kiemo's eyes gleam. He agrees to give Gagan any job he wants and believes he's the best chance at getting Fletcher out. Gagan doesn't think so and refuses, stating it was Kiemo's fault Fletcher left him. Gagan also tells Kiemo that he's loyal to his friends and Kiemo has debts to pay and he is the collector. This upsets Kiemo more and he gets more offended when Gagan insults him and moves to leave. Seeing this as his chance, Kiemo tells them they don't want to go to Fletcher's room. Gagan turns on Kiemo as he pulls out his knife, gripping Kiemo's wrist and twisting before stating that he's killed for less and that he'd start collecting now but he needs a shave first. Kiemo calls Fletcher a stupid bird, demanding to know if Gagan wants to fight over him. Gagan answers that the bird has a name and that it is Fletcher. He threatens Kiemo further before stealing Kiemo's knife and prying it out of his hands before giving it to Fletcher. He tells Kiemo that the knife belongs to Fletcher now and as they leave, that will be considered a down payment. This knife becomes the weapon dubbed the Kiemo Shank.

Kiemo declares that this isn't over and as he knows what awaits the two, he's still won but only barely. He'll need to change that. He allows Summer to comfort him and his ego briefly as Fletcher and Gagan have a private discussion where Fletcher thinks this is his fault. Gagan tells him it isn't and to stop thinking that way. Gagan tells him he has exactly one friend and can't lose him before he realizes he was getting too angry and Fletcher could think it was directed at him. He realizes Fletcher must be scared and pulls him into a hug. He tells Fletcher not to let anyone take the knife from him and that he'll always be there to protect him. Fletcher says he'll do the same.

Awhile later they finally make it to Fletcher's dorm only to find things in disarray and destroyed. Fletcher panics. Gagan is furious seeing broken glass around and ash. Part of his lab is gone and in the middle of it lays the body of the drink-bot Fletcher had brought to the first dance. Fletcher also realizes that his research is gone and has been ruined and now if he had chance save his father before, he's far too set back to do it now. He only stares at everything, almost unable to breathe as he drops the knife he just got from Kiemo and both him and Gagan realize that Kiemo still won and this wound would leave a clear mark.