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 Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2026 12:38 pm
Backdated to early June He had texted Julian to make sure it was okay to come over, and then Luke made his way to the house, the acceptance letter folded into the small backpack he wore. He wouldn't need to show it off, but hey, maybe Julian would want to see it. Or Talia or something. He didn’t know. Wasn’t going to let them doubt that he was telling the truth.
Pausing at the door, Luke knocked and then rocked on his heels, mentally going through a list of what he would have to buy. As annoying as Jason had been…his brother did always have good ideas and thought eight steps ahead. It was something he…had always resented. Or…not always. Just after it had become…overwhelming. When they had become Knights, he supposed. The rift that Luke felt hadn’t ever been as wide or as deep as it had been in the last few years…which…
Hopefully the time away would help to cure.
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Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2026 12:38 pm
Julian had been waiting in the living room, half-heartedly watching whatever movie had been left on. He was just passing time, waiting for Luke to show up. Maxim’s tail started wagging well before he made it to the door, so Julian was on his feet and unlocking it almost immediately.
He was dressed like he always was, in soft, neutral colors, and clothes that were just a little too big for him. The air conditioner was turned up, which justified the oversized sweater that fell almost past his fingertips. His hair was tied back, and even his socks were color coordinated.
Julian put a lot of thought into dressing properly for someone who hardly ever looked in the mirror.
He smiled warmly and moved aside to let Luke in. “Hi,” he greeted. “Come in, how was the ride over?”
Of course, there was always a bit of worry when someone asked if they could come over, but Luke was his friend. He came over plenty without anything being wrong. With school being out, they didn’t get the chance to see each other daily. They talked! Julian was just slow to text, and was a great listener on the phone, but not always the best at making conversation, himself.
He hadn’t written any letters in months.
Maxim enthusiastically pressed his head against Luke’s leg, licking at the air while searching for fingers, and Julian took the opportunity to give his friend a quick look over.
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Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2026 12:38 pm
Julian was greeted with a bright smile, just like always, and Luke bent down, resting on his haunches to give Maxim some love, concentrating on the dogs ears, and crooning softly for a moment.
“It was all good, as always! How are you? Summer treating you well? Still strange to think we won’t be going back to a school where uniforms are a thing…ah.”
He smiled again, shrugging. “I uh. Might not be. I mean I might be. Not…uh. I got accepted to one of the universities that I had been applying to out of state. Someone actually wanted me. Though like, I’m sure it was just because someone else turned them down because of whatever reason but uh…I get to go to New York for school. I just got the letter today. So far only Jason knows, and you. Need mom to get home to tell her but…yeah! News!”
That was the most…uncoordinated spew of information but. Whatever. It was fine.
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Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2026 12:38 pm
For a few seconds, Julian didn’t really move. His face was frozen, the same smile he’d had when he opened the door–the same smile he almost always had, but after a few seconds, his brows furrowed slightly. Luke had said a lot, very quickly, and Julian had to repeat it back twice before it actually clicked.
His brows stayed worried, but even that wasn’t uncommon for him.
“Well–I’m not surprised someone wanted you,” Julian said, and meant it with his whole heart. He’d known Luke for long enough to know how capable and hard working he was.
But–New York? New York? How far away was that? What school was that?
Julian’s mouth was suddenly dry and he could feel his heart pounding in his chest, and it was strange to suddenly feel so dizzy.
“Are you excited?” he asked, leaning against the door as he closed it behind Luke. Suddenly, he shook his head, turned, and quickly corrected, “I mean–congratulations! You’ll do great wherever you go, I know it–which school is that? I’m sorry, I get them all mixed up.”
Just getting into DCU was overwhelming enough for him. He couldn’t imagine juggling multiple applications, and programs, and–his head hurt just thinking about it, but his smile stayed fixed in place
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Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2026 12:39 pm
“Hah! I really was. All school year it’s been rejection after rejection and deferment for a few schools, and then most of them rejected me. Only DCU had accepted me and I just.” Luke rubbed his face and shrugged. “Nothing against DCU. I just…I don’t know. I wanted to be able to go off on my own. Out of the shadow of Jason, and there are schools with much stronger astronomy programs, and that was what I really want to do…I did apply for MIT but that was a pipe dream, still…”
He shrugged again. “I got accepted to Stonybrook for their Astronomy slash Planetary Sciences program. The school’s on Long Island so like…I’ll be able to go to the city sometimes if I wanted to which is neat, but…we already live in a city so…not totally neat…but…I’m. I mean.”
Wow he was blabbering, and wasn’t really able to stop, even though he knew it was too much, too fast. Julian took time to process but…Luke was still processing and saying things out loud…
Just made it easier. Still though. He hit the brakes. Hard.
“Yeah…”
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Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2026 12:39 pm
Julian nodded along, even while all the thoughts in his head had gotten tangled up together.
“Oh, that sounds really exciting,” he said, leaning his back flat against the door. Maxim hadn’t gotten enough attention from Luke, and again nudged into his hand, still wagging.
“I’ve never been to Long Island.” Well, Luke knew that. Julian didn’t travel. “I hope–have you?–I hope it’s–I mean, do you have time to visit before you accept? Oh, well I guess you could make friends anywhere so that’s not really a problem. I’ll have to go look up pictures.”
Of course Luke would have done his due diligence and researched before applying so he probably had all of this figured out. “I’m proud of you. That sounds like a really big accomplishment. And that’s–that’s really brave of you, to leave. I don’t think I could do something like that. I hope it’s–I hope it’s amazing for you, Luke, really. When–how long–when do you have to leave?”
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Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2026 12:39 pm
Luke bent down again, wanting to satisfy Maxim, he went right for the ears, rubbing just on the insides, something his own dog loved.
“I haven’t either. Or to New York City, Bailey was a really small town but like…I’ve had a lot of practice with here. Like…this is absolutely city…practice. Um…classes start on the twenty-fourth of August, just like DCU does. I…don’t know if we’ll be able to go and visit before I go, I need to talk to mom about it and see what she thinks. Really, I don’t even know…if I will be able to go? We had just figured on DCU and that was going to be a real money saver…you know because of in state tuition and I could live at home but…with this? She might not say yes…”
Or she’d be happy for him like Jason was, and like he said she would be. She would be, he did know that. But maybe he was making excuses.
“Reims is going to hate me even more for just…abandoning the group. I’m worried about that too, but Jason said he’d pick up my slack...”
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Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2026 12:39 pm
Maxim leaned into the attention, eyes closing and huffing contentedly.
Julian was already shaking his head. “I don’t–there’s no need to pick up slack,” Julian reassured, but his mind hadn’t even made it to brigade things yet. “It’s–no one’s going to be mad at you. That–that sounds like a really big opportunity, Luke. I–have you talked to a Mauvian? I’m sure–I mean, Soleiyu could probably help set you up with some scholarships or grants or something, he’s very good at things like that. I mean–if you’re worried about money, I’m sure there are lots of things to help.”
Would Luke’s mother say no? His stomach flopped, and it felt like spiders were crawling up his throat. No, she wouldn’t. How could she?
Luke had worked so hard. He was so excited.
How could someone not want this for him? It would have been cruel to expect him to stay.
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Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2026 12:39 pm
“...He can do that?” Luke looked up, surprised. “I mean, I got a few scholarships, which will absolutely help, but I never…Soleiyu can do that?” It would help, it would lessen his own guilt for the money aspect.
“That’s really cool. I never really, thought about asking for anything like that. It seems really…mundane, I always figured on Mauvians being like…space fight only. Magic…things, you know?”
He gave Maxim a small pat on the rump and then stood, twisting slightly so his lower back popped. “I think. I mean. You’re sure that they won’t all be angry with me? Jason said that he didn’t think they would and that–like I said he’d pick up the slack but like. I’ll be totally cut off for that kind of stuff…I’ll still be home on breaks and the summer though. So…there’s that…I’m.”
Luke finally gave a little grin, his eyes beginning to sparkle. “...I’m actually really excited. And just can’t wait to do this program. I think it’s going to be amazing.”
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Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2026 12:39 pm
“Oh–no, I really don’t think anyone will be mad at you. That wouldn’t be fair. I think everyone should be happy for you. And–well, Soleiyu is always working on something,” Julian said, stretching his sleeves out just enough to cover his fingertips. He looked down, fixed them, and then by the time he’d looked back to Luke he was doing it all over again. “I mean, it might be mundane for him, but I think it’s amazing. He likes to help.”
Luke looked so happy.
The smile split his face and shined bright enough that Julian could see the sparkle in his eyes.
“We can ask him before you leave, I think he’s in the garage right now. I mean, if it might make your mom feel better.” If it might take some of the pressure off of Luke, too.
Julian’s stomach twisted and his chest felt heavy.
August 24th felt so close. Luke was going to be so busy. He’d have to figure out where to live, have to plan moving, have to get settled–
But he looked so happy.
Julian kept smiling, too. “Is it the type of program you can do and maybe transfer into MIT? I don’t know how those things work,” he apologized. He didn’t even know what he was going to college for, so Luke was already leagues ahead of him in terms of figuring that sort of thing out.
It seemed unfair to make Luke worry about anything else, not when he already had so much on his plate. He didn’t want to bring him down–he wanted to help however he could.
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Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2026 12:39 pm
“I never…even thought about trying to transfer into MIT…I guess if I decided to go for a Masters or something later on, that is a possibility…and really, the higher…higher education is what employers would look at, I think…” If he could keep his grades up, do something impressive…it really was a good idea. “I’ll have to think about that, thank you for the idea, Julian, you’re full of them today.”
It was said warmly, and was obviously a compliment. And it didn't feel so overbearing. Not like with Jason, bringing up a car and bringing up all he would need to do…these were such open ended things to think about and…
God he would love to attend MIT one day….
“...I have so much to think about right now, I feel like my head is filled with bees.”
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Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2026 12:39 pm
Julian understood the sentiment, and nodded quickly. It took him a moment later to really process the compliment, and he flushed slightly and shook his head. “Oh, I–I think you’d have considered that eventually.”
He didn’t really deserve much credit for it, but Luke was so kind anyway.
“When there are less bees. I mean, I think you could do it. Um, any school would be lucky to have you. And your grades will probably be so much better when you’re not worried about youma sneaking up behind you, right?”
Well–unless there were youma in New York. He hoped not.
“I hope, um, I hope you’ll tell me how things are going once you get there. I know you’ll be fine. I know you’ll do great things. But, um–well, I’m excited for you! It’s a big change, but I know you’ve put a lot of thought into it. Is there anything, um–is there anything I can do to help?”
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Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2026 12:40 pm
Luke shrugged at Julian’s attempt to refuse the praise and then nodded. “I hope that the only thing sneaking up on me will be rats. But that might only be in the city…might have to worry about geese maybe. I don’t know. Um. this is a long shot and really, I’m talking out of my a** but if we are able to make a trip over there, would you want to come and see it? Like, travel with me and mom and Jason? It could be fun! Again, this is just me ignoring the bees but. I’d like you there.”
He would offset Jason’s nagging, and would just be. Nice to have.
And maybe he could weasel out a stop in the city and they could see a show or something. That...could be fun. Or visit a museum, that would really be fun, there were so many there.
Of course, that part of it was absolutely just a pipe dream.
The whole plan was, really.
He still hadn’t told mom.
Ugh.
She would be excited though. He was going to look on the positive side of this. And knowing her, the tears would come after he had been gone a month or so.
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Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2026 12:40 pm
Rats? Geese?
What kind of place was New York?
Well–anything was better than youma, right?
I’d like you there.
The rest of his thoughts stopped, mostly. For a few seconds.
There was something about travel, and m̴̸̧̧̬̪͈̱͇̍̈̿̅̽̄̾ǫ̸̡̢̢̖̟̱̙̹̋̽̿̑̇̽m̶̨̧̜̦̬̖̬̥̿͂̀̄̋̌̃ and Jason, and bees, but his mind didn’t want to move past that:
I’d like you there.
“Yeah, um–we can–I really appreciate you thinking about me like that, Luke. Thank you.”
Luke must have had a million things on his mind. Julian had a million questions, and it was a struggle not to let them all spill out at once.
He tried to keep it simple: “What are you most excited about?”
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Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2026 12:40 pm
Luke wasn’t really sure what to say with the gratitude, so just smiled again, but, the question. That he had an answer to, one that surprised even him with how animated and excited it made him feel.
“Oh, absolutely most excited about the equipment I’ll get to use? They have their own observatory there, and I’ll get to really see into space? I mean, not that I haven’t seen into space before but like…this has always…I’ve been fascinated with the stars and all that since before all of the magic stuff, my favorite thing back in Bailey was to just stare at the sky with my telescope, it was so much darker there, a lot less light pollution so I could see a bunch…”
The excitement dimmed a little and Luke gave a sheepish smile. “Sorry, I guess I’m just really…letting myself think about all of this. The observatory is…just such a cool thing, and I can’t wait to see how strong the telescopes are…what all I’ll be able to see…”
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