Skaia Tech
It was 9:00am on a Monday morning at Sburb Academy and the Alpha Kids, Beta Kids and Beta Trolls were all in homeroom. They'd finished their exams, Prom was only weeks away and spring break was close at hand.
Their homeroom teacher took the register then made an announcement. There was a bundle of letters in brown envelopes in her hand.
"This morning, letters from Skaia Tech were given to homeroom teachers." immediately there was an outbreak of whispering around the room "I am aware you all have a free period this morning, therefore I suggest you use it to talk to your careers advisor if these letters don't contain the news you want."
The teacher gave out the letters then dismissed the class. Dirk opened his straight away while other people filed out to open theirs in private. He was pleased but not at all surprised to see that he had been accepted to the Robotics course. Considering he'd created an AI unit (a lil guy named Hal) all by himself, he was hardly inexperienced.
He sent a quick text to Bro and D before going to find everyone else. He just hoped they all got the news they wanted.
Eventually he located Jade in the gym, where he found her reading her own letter in the stands which lined the basketball court.
"Hey. Get the news you wanted?" asked Dirk as he took a seat next to Jade.
"Yep. I was accepted for the Nuclear Physics course." replied Jade.
"Awesome. Well done." Dirk smiled ever so slightly "Aren't you going to ask if I got in?" he asked after a moment of silence.
"Dirk." Jade looked at him "You built an AI with your own two hands. Of course you got in." she tapped his triangular shades.
"Yeah you're right I did." admitted Dirk, holding out his hand for a fist bump.
Jade ignored the fist bump completely and full on hugged Dirk. Not that Dirk minded very much. He loved Jake to pieces but he still held a certain fondness for Jade. He'd known her ever since Jake's family adopted her.
"So, did you see anyone else on your way here?" Dirk asked as he pulled away.
"Nope but I should think they'll all make their way here eventually. This does seem to be our central meeting point, doesn't it?" mused Jade, looking out over the court.
"Are you, Serket and Peixes ready for the game on Friday?" queried Dirk.
"I think so. The coach is still going to make us train our cabooses off for the rest of week though." sighed Jade.
Dirk chuckled "My boyfriend's turn of phrase is rubbing off on you."
Jade elbowed him in the ribs "We both know you find it endearing. Plus the game on Friday? It's against Derse Academy."
Dirk's smile dropped "Derse? Aren't they a bunch of cheating scumbags?"
"Yeah...but that's what will make beating them even better." winked Jade.
Dirk was about to reply when the door to the gym opened with a resounding creak and Jake came into the gym. He didn't look happy: his shoulders were slumped and his head hung.
"Oh no..." whispered Jade, even as Dirk jumped to his feet and went straight over to his boyfriend.
"Jake? Is everything ok...?" Dirk asked nervously, placing his hands on Jake's shoulders.
"Well, I..." Jake trailed off.
"You what? Come on Jake, the suspense is killing me." Dirk shook him lightly.
Jake looked up at him and grinned "I got in."
Dirk blinked then hugged him tightly. Then he got Jake in a headlock and fluffed up his hair. Both boys were laughing and Jake was mock-begging for mercy.
"And that's for bullshitting me." Dirk growled playfully, not releasing Jake.
"Ah! Mercy! Let me go you fiend!" Jake flailed.
"What the hell are you two doing?" Jade asked, coming over to them.
"This mischievous asshole decided to pretend he hadn't gotten accepted." Dirk finally released Jake.
"And he fell for it hook, line and sinker." Jake said breathlessly.
Jade just rolled her eyes and shook her head, smiling.
~
John was at one of the vending machines near the school dining room, getting a celebratory pack of fruit gushers. He turned to leave and came face to face with a certain coolkid about three inches away from him.
"Shit!" he swore, pushing himself against the vending machine before getting over his momentary heart attack "Holy shit, Dave! Do you want me to live to see Skaia Tech?"
Dave laughed quietly before saying calmly "So you got in?"
"Yeah, Music course. You?" asked John.
"Yeah, Music Tech. I also got texts from Jade, Jake and my bro saying they got in as well." Dave smiled.
"That's really good to hear, I knew Jake was worried about his chemistry grade on his application." nodded John.
"Yeah me too. So let's go find them, plus Roxy, Rose and Jane and go and celebrate with ice cream." Dave kissed him, then grabbed his hand and dragged him away at a run.
"Dave I dropped my gushers!"
"You can do way better than that shit."
~
Roxy and Rose had already found each other and given each other the news about their acceptance. (Rose would be doing Literature Studies and Roxy would be doing Vetinary Studies.) They were looking for the others to go out and celebrate when Roxy saw someone up ahead.
"Janey! I got in!" Roxy grinned as she threw herself into her girlfriend's arms.
"That's wonderful! So did I!" smiled Jane.
"I found Rosie in the library and now I'm looking for the others to go celebrate. You with us?" asked Roxy, nuzzling her nose against Jane's.
Jane nodded and Roxy grabbed her hand and took off towards the gym, Rose not far behind them.
~
Feferi, Eridan, Sollux and Aradia were stood in a circle, their letters from Skaia Tech as yet unopened. They looked at each other before Eridan spoke.
"Count of three?"
"0ne." began Aradia.
"Two." continued Sollux.
"THR--E--E!" finished Feferi and everyone opened their letters.
There was silence as they all read what their own letters said but Aradia broke the silence first.
"0h my g0g! They accepted me f0r the archae0l0gy course!" she gasped.
"Niice one, AA." smiled Sollux distractedly before punching the air a second later "Fuck ye2! Computer 2ciience!"
"Oh h0ney bee! Well done!" Aradia beamed.
"It's three for three, guys!" said Feferi.
"Really? What do they want you for, Ff?" asked Sollux.
"MARIN--E BIOLOGY!" grinned the female seatroll.
"That's s0 you it's n0t even funny." smiled Aradia.
"It's a full house. I'm in for modelling." announced Eridan.
"Great. Now ED ha2 an excu2e to flaunt hii2 already ma22ive ego even more than u2ual."
"Oh shut up, 2ol." snapped Eridan.
"Make me, fii2hdiick." taunted Sollux.
"Bee fucker."
"Bulgepriince."
"Pi22blood-"
"ALRIGHT ALRIGHT YOU'RE BOTH FUCKERS OF SOME BULGE SUCKING DESCRIPTION. CAN YOU STOP POISONING MY SOUNWAVES WITH YOUR PETTY ASS BITCHING?" interrupted Karkat, who coming over to them with Equius and Nepeta (Equius giving Nepeta a piggyback).
Over the next few minutes, more of the Beta trolls found where everyone else was gathering and gave their news.
Tavros had been accepted for Folklore Studies.
Karkat had been accepted for Film Studies.
Nepeta had been accepted for Theatre.
Kanaya had been accepted for Fashion.
Terezi had been accepted for Law.
Vriska had been accepted for Journalism.
Equius had been accepted for Robotics.
Gamzee had been accepted for Art.
"WAIT. WAIT JUST A FUCKING SECOND." Karkat interrupted the pleased chatter that had accumulated, which stopped abruptly. "DOES THIS MEAN I'M STUCK WITH YOU FUCKERS NOW?"
"0h yeah."
"uM,, y-yEAH."
"2orry Kk."
"Of paws you're stuck with me, Karkitty."
"Do Not Even Pretend You Are Disappointed By This, Sweetie."
"FOR YOU NOT TO B3 STUCK W1TH US WOULD B3 4 CR1M3, K4RKL3S."
"Unlucky for you, Vantas."
"D-> I would call that STRONG advantage."
"MoThErFuCkInG mIrAcUlOuS bRoThEr."
"You still havve to put up wwith me, Kar."
"But that's a good fin, Karcrab!"
Karkat looked at his friends one by one and eventually allowed a tiny little smile to quirk his lips.
"FUCK IT...FINE, YOU'RE RIGHT. I'M FUCKING HAPPY ABOUT THAT OK?"
There was a pause, then resounding chorus of 'Knew it!'.