Sebastian and Clint
Sebastian grinned, truly happy for Clint, though it faded a little when the question was turned around on him. The past couple of weeks had been hard and the holiday didn't really help, but he was determined not to be a downer, especially not out in public. "I'm okay," Sebastian said. "It's sucks, but... things will be better in college." He had to believe that because if there wasn't a light at the end of the tunnel, then he didn't know how he was supposed to make it through the dark. The range of feelings he'd gone through over the past few months were enough to give him whiplash, a roller coaster of emotions that reached its peak before taking a drastic nosedive. These days he couldn't decide if he was depressed about the absolutely abysmal selection of gay guys to date or if it didn't matter anyways because he wasn't ready to put himself through that again. He supposed what he wanted was a choice, even if he wasn't ready for it, because then at least it would be his to make. "I'll be fine," he said with the confidence of someone who'd been saying it his whole life, no matter what the situation. "Might need some help getting a prom date though. I don't think the girls'll have me anymore."
Clint nodded sagely -- it would be better in college, because everything was better in college. More freedom, more people, more chances to explore life outside of this podunk small-ass town. He didn’t think Bash would have any problems finding a boyfriend out there, wherever he decided to go to school. Clint wasn’t insecure enough to miss that the guy was good looking. “You can always take a friend or something,” Clint offered, though his tone said he knew that wasn’t the preferred option. Senior prom was kind of a big deal. “Or like, go stag. Cut in on some dances, make some girls jealous.” He grinned. “Or, hey, import a date from Bangor or something, I bet our proms’ll be on different nights.” There had to be gay guys in Bangor, right? “I’m pretty good friends with their quarterback, I can ask him if there’s eligible bachelors around.”
As much as Sebastian tried to tell himself Prom wasn’t a big deal, he couldn’t escape the fact that it really was a BIG DEAL. Especially with his friends. Until he’d met Hunter, he’d been planning to stay in the closet, so his biggest stress hadn’t been if he could find a date, but what to do if his date wanted to fool around. Because that’s what people did after Prom. Now, if he did take a girl, he knew she wouldn’t expect that of him, which was almost funny because he wasn’t as worried about it as he used to be. A little experience was all he needed to realize that some things were going to feel good no matter who it was; it was just so much better if he was genuinely attracted to them. “I’m not desperate,” he laughed, but he wanted to make that clear. “But…sure, ask him. Can’t hurt, right? I’d rather have, like, a real date than go stag. There aren’t a lot of guys that’d be comfortable with me cutting in on them. And it’s such a couples thing that I’d be a third wheel no matter who I hang with.” It was something he was more aware of now, as all his friends paired off. At least in a group he was more like the seventh or ninth wheel, which felt a little less noticeable. “Just tell him he has to be hot,” he teased. “No frogs.”
Some people liked going in big groups, and Clint was pretty sure that Sebastian McCarthy wouldn’t be standing around alone for very long at a stretch, but he understood the desire for a date. Especially since this was their last prom ever. He laughed a bit at the caveat and nodded his understanding. “Hot dude from out of town, check,” Clint said, grinning. “I’ll see what I can do.” He couldn’t help but wonder with a little flutter in his stomach if he and Ruby would still be a thing by the time prom rolled around, if he would have a hot date too. He guessed they would find out. Clint glanced around and saw her on her way back to the table, and he sat up a bit straighter, his smile brightening even more. The others would probably be there soon, then they could all start to get their sing on. This was going to be a good night.