Chapter 8
LACERTA OLIVIA HIGGS:
Lacerta had a relatively large group of friends at school, and they were all great, but they were also mostly cishets. Which is fine, except that they’re the kind that stereotype the gays and treat them like an accessory. It was why she hadn’t come out to any of them, especially since she was already the token disabled. But then something surprising that she really shouldn’t have been shocked by happened. Nebula, one of her closer friends, came to her as bisexual. That was when she confessed she was a lesbian. According to Nebula it was obvious.
So, the two talked about it for a while, and eventually Lacerta asked if she wanted to come to Youth with her and meet her friends. Nebula said yes, but she was going to be dropped off by her Dad, so Lacerta left the house and waited for Hadrian. She was slightly nervous about it of course, she hadn’t really seen him since the incident last Friday, and she wasn’t entirely sure if he was even coming that day. But then she saw him walking out in jeans and a hoodie, and sighed with relief.
”Hey, are you okay?” She asked.
”Oh um,” Hadrian fiddled with his sleeves. “As okay as I can be. I talked to Timothy, and he said that some of them weren’t ready to meet me, and that I wasn’t ready to meet some of them. It’s complicated, I don’t fully understand it, but I’m feeling better now.”
Lacerta nodded, and they started walking. “How is Alexander? I’m assuming, he was the one that … you know.”
”He’s avoiding me,” Hadrian said. “Well, I’m not sure if he’s actually avoiding me, or if he’s gone dormant, but I can’t find him anywhere.”
”Well I hope this gets easier,” Lacerta said.
”Here’s to hoping,” Hadrian smiled. “So, who was the friend you were talking about?”
”Oh, Nebula?” Hadrian nodded and Lacerta continued. “She’s in the year below me, but our families were close and we go to the same school. She recently came out to me as bi, so I wanted to introduce her to everyone so that she had a queer support group. Sometimes cishets can be too much.”
Hadrian nodded. “You realise I’m cishet right?”
”Yeah, but you’re grey-ace, and traumatised,” Lacerta responded. “Like you said, that makes you okay.”
Hadrian breathed out a faint laugh. “I forgot I said that. But I mean, it’s true.”
”Yes it is,” Lacerta greed. “It’s gonna be so weird to not see Albus or Scorpius tonight though.”
”Yeah, I have no idea what they’ll even be doing tonight. Sitting around? Reading? Watching TV?”
”Maybe,” Lacerta shrugged. “I brought some crackers and veggies by the way. Figured since the two who usually bring the healthier foods aren’t going to be there tonight, I best be the one to bring something healthy.”
Hadrian nodded. “Good call, I brought cold pasta. Not even any sauce, just pasta.”
”I mean, I don’t like cold foods like that,” Lacerta knew it was the combination of texture and temperature that was off putting, but she never knew how to explain food aversions in a way that made sense to allistic people. “Veggies and fruit are fine, it’s just pasta, meat, and certain dishes that are supposed to be hot. Although I just can’t eat mashed potato full stop, so I don’t know if cold mashed potatoes count.”
”Cold mashed potatoes sounds vile,” Hadrian made a face. “Nico agrees.”
”Is Nico co-con?”
Hadrian pushed his brows together, almost as though he was trying to figure that out himself.
”Maybe?” Hadrian didn’t look sure. “He’s not able to manipulate the body, and I can’t feel him, but he’s nearby. The amnesiac barrier between the two of us is very thin — or that’s the easiest way to describe it in easy to understand terms — so I think he’s getting feedback from me. And he’s nearby so I can hear him, it’s difficult to explain. He’s there, but he’s not here, basically.”
Lacerta nodded, although she really didn’t understand. She supposed she’d never fully understand though, seeing as she didn’t have DID. Similarly to how Hadrian would likely never understand her behaviours and aversions due to not having autism. But she supposed she didn’t really have to understand, he seemed content to just have people listening and not judging.
It didn’t take them long to get to the Youth Centre, they didn’t have to wait for Scorpius at his bus stop, so they actually got to the Youth Centre before it was even opened. That was fine, they sat down outside, and Lacerta pulled out her phone to check up on Rift and Nebula. Rift wasn’t answering, but Nebula said that she was in the car on her way. She messaged Scorpius quickly to see if he was doing anything, or what was going on there, but Scorpius usually took hours to respond. She also unfortunately did not have Albus’ contact information, so at some point in the future she’d probably have to get that off of him.
”Hey Lacerta,” the blonde looked up to see Nik, a boy from her school. “You’re here earlier than last time?”
Lacerta shrugged. “Got here earlier than expected.”
”Hi,” Hadrian waved shyly.
”Oh, this is Nik,” Lacerta introduced. “He’s the boy all the girls want to treat like an accessory. I think I mentioned him when we were talking about how many gay people we all went to school with.”
”Wow, I’m honoured to get a special mention,” Nik smiled.
”This is Hadrian, he’s my neighbour,” Lacerta said.
”Pronouns?” Hadrian asked.
“He/him,” Nik shrugged.
”Same, unless stated otherwise,” Hadrian said.
“Oh, are you genderfluid?” Nik asked.
Hadrian shrugged. “Sure.”
Nik looked confused, but if Hadrian didn’t want to tell him about having DID it wasn’t Lacerta’s place to mention it. She’d never really noticed how sometimes with certain people he just didn’t mention it. But, now that she thought about it the only Youth Worker he told was Neville, and he told everyone to just call him Hadrian when they didn’t know who was at the front. Maybe she could ask him about that later.
”It’s so weird to be the first ones here…,” Lacerta said under her breath.
”Yeah, do you think this is around the time Albus usually gets here?” Hadrian asked.
”Maybe,” Lacerta shrugged, she honestly didn’t know. “Why do you get here so early Nik?”
”Oh um, you know,” Nik looked away, “family stuff.”
”I hear you,” Lacerta sighed. “Parents can be the worst. I’m not sure if I ever plan on coming out to them.”
Nik winced. “No one would blame you for being scared of their reaction. Sometimes parents just can’t handle when their kids aren’t … aren’t exactly what they had in mind.”
”Yep,” Hadrian sighed. “Parents suck.”
It occurred to Lacerta then that she didn’t know anything about Hadrian’s biological family. And neither did Hadrian, he’d been given up at too young an age to remember anything. Either that, or something slightly more sinister. How was it only just occurring to her that her neighbour was a complete mystery to her?
“Oh, I see a friend of mine,” Nik smiled. “It was nice chatting Lacerta, we should hang out at school more often when it starts again. It was nice meeting you Hadrian.”
Nik waved and hurried down the ramp to hang out with someone Lacerta assumed to be somewhere on the non-binary spectrum, based on the coloured short hair and the way they dressed.
Soon enough, the doors opened and Pavarti stepped outside with her clipboard. The first people to to sign in seemed to be a bunch of straggots, but soon after Lacerta and Hadrian signed in. Lacerta went to the kitchen, and started making a cup of tea, offering Hadrian a cup as well. Hadrian briefly shook his head, and leant against the counter with his hands in his pockets.
Lacerta inspected her mug briefly, taking a tissue and using it to wipe the inside just in case. She didn’t like using other people’s cups, but she would if she had to. She also didn’t like how people assumed she was trying to be rude when she wiped the cups, she just couldn’t drink from a cup if she suspected it could be dirty. She put two teaspoons of sugar in the cup and poured in the hot water.
She could remember having a conversation with Scorpius about their tea habits, and how they had specific orders and ways of doing things. Scorpius for a slightly different reason, his intrusive thoughts told him he would die, Lacerta just couldn’t handle the idea of something being off about her tea. Or any beverage really. That’s why she typically avoided foods and drinks at other peoples houses. Her friends had gotten used to it, but their parents always made funny faces when she did something or said something about it.
“Lacerta?” She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see Nebula looking rather sheepish. “Hi, this is … a place.”
”What, is it overwhelming?” Lacerta asked, she understood that typically when the place got crowded or loud she couldn’t bare to be inside anymore. That’s why she had suggested the roof that first time, because no one else would be out there.
”No,” Nebula shook her head. “Just social anxiety baby.”
”Oh!” Lacerta snapped her fingers. “Nebula this is Hadrian.”
”Hi,” Nebula offered him a coy smile and a hand.
Hadrian didn’t say anything, just smiled awkwardly and lifted a hand to wave. He then didn’t seem to know what to do with the hand so he started scratching his neck then just fiddling.
”Oh, are you mute? Lacerta never mentioned—“
”Not mute,” Hadrian said. “Just, things.”
”Is it Deliciously Impatient Doritos things?” Lacerta asked, coming up with the replacement acronym on the spot.
Hadrian have her a weird look before seeming to realise what she meant. “No. Yes…? Um,” Hadrian started gesturing with his hands, “things. Hi….”
That’s when it clicked for Lacerta. Hadrian was nervous about Nebula. Hey that was fine. Nebula was quite pretty, and she did have an interest in guys so it wasn’t like it couldn’t happen.
”What is Deliciously Impatient Doritos?” Nebula asked, looking confused by what she likely assumed to be an inside joke.
”Um,” Hadrian scratched the back of his neck. “That’s difficult to explain. Um….”
”Guys!” Rift interrupted the conversation, wielding another baguette. “I totally didn’t steal this from a bakery near my house. I purchased it. Hi! You must be Nebula? I’m Rift.”
”Did you have a bucket load of coffee or something?” The change in Hadrian’s demeanour wasn’t sudden, per se, but it was startling. Lacerta would ask about a switch when they were far enough away from Nebula, because it didn’t seem like Hadrian wanted to share that information.
”No, caffeine has the opposite affect on me,” Rift shrugged. “I find I get really sleepy after a coffee.”
”Same,” Lacerta nodded. “That’s because you’re neurodivergent.”
Rift raised an eyebrow. “No I’m not.”
”Yeah, you are,” Lacerta said. “If caffeine makes you drowsy it’s because you react to it differently. The only way that can happen is if you’re neurodivergent.”
Rift frowned. “But I’ve never been diagnosed with anything.”
”Oh, you don’t have to be diagnosed to have something,” Hadrian — or whoever was at the front now — shrugged. “We … I mean I. Bleh, bad with words. I knew I was neurodivergent before I got a diagnosis.”
”You are not good at Englishing are you?” Nebula joked, which was odd. Nebula rarely felt comfortable enough around new people to joke.
”No I am not,” Hadrian & co. — maybe Lacerta could help them come up with a shared name — shrugged and looked down.
”Whatever,” Rift shook their head. “To the roof!”
Rift ran outside and Nebula raised an eyebrow before following them. Hadrian & co. and Lacerta walked behind them.
”Is this still Hadrian?” Lacerta asked.
”Sort of,” Hadrian shrugged. “Someone else is here, but I’m not sure who. I would say Nico, but he has more of a reassuring presence, whoever this is has a more calming one. Maybe Sab?”
Lacerta nodded. “So, someone get super flustered around a pretty girl.”
Gadrian went slightly pink and shook his head. “I think you’re confused. I mean, I don’t think she’s not pretty, I’m not saying she’s ugly. And besides, the last girl I tried to date got really angry that I was grey-ace, and when I confused that I thought I might have DID she freaked out and immediately ended things because she thought I’d go psycho and murder her or something—“
”Hadrian,” Lacerta wrapped her arm around his elbow, “Nebula would never do any of that. And if she did, we’d have to cut her off completely.”
”Oh god, I didn’t mean to insinuate she was a horrible person—“
”Hadrian, we all do that,” Lacerta shook her head. “I assume every straight person hates me. I’m sure Rift assumes all cis people hate them. I also assume that all allistics hate me. It’s completely fine to be afraid to tell her about your DID.”
Hadrian nodded, and Lacerta watched as Rift and Nebula stopped in front of the wall. Rift was too short to get up by themselves, and Nebula didn’t know the way, so Lacerta took it upon herself to be the first one to go up. After that she helped pull the enby up. Then Nebula went to climb up, looking quite a bit anxious. Lacerta and Rift did manage to help her on top of the garage with minimal issues, so Hadrian climbed up next as Lacerta walked over to the windowsill and climbed. Once everyone was on the roof Lacerta plonked down on an air duct and flattened her skirt.
“I brought a board game!” Rift plonked down and started riffling through their belongings.
”What kind of board game?” Hadrian asked, sitting down on the floor next to Rift.
Nebula cautiously sat next to Hadrian in front of Lacerta, pulling at the tips in her jeans. Maybe she also found Hadrian to be attractive or interesting. Lacerta wasn’t blind, she could tell the guy would be considered hot by all people who liked men. That was something Lacerta could work with. Hey, playing Cupid never hurt anyone.
”Well, there’s no board, unless you count the cards and tokens since they’re made of cardboard,” Rift pulled out a small box. “One Night Ultimate Werewolf. Even if Albus and Scorpius were here we wouldn’t be able to play the original, since you need around ten people. But this one can be played with only four.”
Lacerta quirked an eyebrow at the box. It was fairly small, and Rift started pulling out the cards they mentioned.
“Seven, we need seven cards,” Rift said.
”But there are only four of us?” Nebula gave the enby a quizzical expression.
”Three cards go in the centre,” Rift explained. “So let’s get the two werewolves, I think two villagers as well, so that there’s only three special roles. Start us off easy. Seer, robber, and troublemaker.”
”You are speaking gibberish my friend,” Hadrian said.
”Let me explain the roles,” Rift cleared their throat, sat up straight, and prepared themselves. “The werewolves mission is to survive the voting. The villagers goal is to kill at least one werewolf. The seer can either look at a players card or two centre cards, the robber looks at a players card and then trades with them, and the troublemaker swaps the cards of two others without looking at them.”
”What’s voting?” Lacerta asked.
”During the day, we’re supposed to give information and discuss what happened during the night. There are no rules saying you have to tell the truth,” Rift explained. “The werewolves certainly aren’t going to be honest.”
”What about the other roles in the box?” Hadrian asked.
”Oh, they make the game a bit more complicated,” Rift said. “Because it’s stuff like doppelgänger, minion, hunter, there’s a guy who wants to die.”
”Oh, so all of us?” Nebula joked.
“Yeah,” Rift nodded. “You guys wanna play?”
”Sure,” Hadrian shuffled aside so that Rift could sit and the ground, and Nebula did the same for Lacerta. “But I already forgot what the roles do.”
”Same,” Lacerta nodded.
”It’s fine, I’ll tell you at night,” Rift shuffled the cards, placed three in the centre and then handed the rest out. “Don’t tell anyone your card.”
Lacerta looked at hers. Werewolf. That was going to be interesting.
”Okay, I have the app, and it says the roles and stuff during the game,” Rift quickly pulled up the app and placed their phone in the centre. “Everyone ready?”
”Wait,” Nebula picked up her card again. “Okay.”
Rift pressed play and immediately some dramatic music started playing.
”Everyone, close your eyes.”
Lacerta did as she was told but snorted.
“I’m sorry, he sounds so serious about this,” Hadrian laughed as he spoke.
”Werewolves, wake up and look for other werewolves.”
Lacerta opened her eyes and saw that no one else had.
”Interesting,” she said.
”Oh my God, Lacerta, You’re a werewolf too!” Rift said.
”Wait, so am I,” Nebula said.
”Oh my God, we’re all werewolves,” Hadrian fake gasped.
”If there is only one werewolf, look at a card from the centre.”
Lacerta picked up a card and saw troublemaker. “Interesting.”
Rift then hummed in intrigue.
”Werewolves, close your eyes.”
”Night night bitch,” Nebula exclaimed, making Hadrian laugh.
”Seer, wake up. You may now look at another player’s card, or two of the centre cards.”
”Interesting,” Lacerta said.
”Oh my God,” Hadrian sighed.
”Yes, that is rather intriguing I might say,” Nebula spoke in a posh accent.
”Seer, close your eyes.”
”Go to sleep,” Hadrian said. “It’ll all be fine in the morning.”
”God, that was creepy,” Rift muttered.
”Robber, wake up.”
”Why did it sound like he said Robert?” Hadrian snorted.
”You may now look at another player’s card, and exchange that card for your own.”
”Interesting.”
Rift snorted. “If you guys can hear anything that’s me jamming out to the violin music. Robert can confirm.”
”Robber, close your eyes.”
”Why does he sound so serious?” Nebula asked.
”Troublemaker, wake up. You may now exchange the cards of two other players.”
”Interesting.”
”Lacerta, stop,” Hadrian said.
“No!” Lacerta shook her head, despite his eyes being closed.
”Troublemaker, close your eyes.”
”I will say interesting if I want to,” Lacerta said.
”Everyone, reach out and move your card around slightly.”
Lacerta immediately felt Nebula not doing that as their hands collided. ”Jesus!”
”Everyone, wake up.”
”Okay so I was the troublemaker,” Lacerta claimed, knowing she’d seen it in the middle. “And I swapped Rift and Nebula’s cards.”
”Did you now?” Nebula asked.
”Yeah?” Lacerta narrowed her eyes at her close friend.
“Okay,” Nebula looked away.
”Okay, well my name used to be Robert,” Hadrian shrugged. “But then I changed it to seer when I stole from Nebula.”
“You stole from me!?” Nebula fake gasped. “Unbelievable.”
”Wait, but I started off as seer,” Nebula said. “What order is it in?”
”Robber goes before troublemaker,” Rift said. “So, I guess I’m the robber now, unless one of you is lying. Making Nebula a villager.”
”Wait, but that means someone’s lying,” Lacerta said.
“Yes, someone is lying,” Nebula smirked. “And I know who.”
”Who?” Hadrian asked.
”I checked two centre cards,” Nebula explained, “one of them was a werewolf, and the other was the troublemaker.”
”What!?” Lacerta said. “You are lying! I am the troublemaker.”
”No, but I robbed her, and I got the seer card,” Hadrian said.
”It could be possible, that they’re both lying,” Rift said. “But since this is their first time playing I don’t think Hadrian and Nebula are gonna pull that big brain of a move.”
”Are you calling us dumb?” Hadrian asked.
”Yes.”
”Oh,” Nebula huffed. “Thanks dude.”
”Lacerta plead your case,” Hadrian offered. “Why should we not kill you?”
”Wha — Hadrian seems pretty eager to kill!” Lacerta attempted to reason.
”Okay, but their story works,” Rift said. “Yours doesn’t.”
”Like you said, they could be teaming up,” Lacerta shrugged.
”No, don’t try to spin this on us,” Nebula said.
”I think we’re ready to vote,” Rift tapped the vote button before the five minute timer ran out.
”Vote!”
Everyone pointed to Lacerta, except Lacerta pointed to Nebula.
”Damnit!” Lacerta flipped her card over to reveal her role. “Fuck you Parkinson.”
Nebula grinned. “Why did you claim troublemaker anyway?”
”I saw it was in the middle, so my dumbass decided let’s claim to be this girl,” Lacerta sighed.
”That’s a smart play actually,” Rift said. “Especially if you can claim it quickly. Unfortunately, the seer makes things very difficult. But it gets worse when there’s more people and more roles. Like the doppelgänger, because then you can have three werewolves in play. And I think there are extra roles which can have three other types of wolves, plus a wolf curse, then the Alpha can turn someone into a Wolf, so if the doppelgänger sees their card they also have to do that. So you can have eight werewolves in play with the extra roles.”
”That sounds horrifying,” Hadrian said. “That sounds like an automatic win to me.”
”Yeah,” Nebula nodded.
”That’s why you never put all of those cards in at the same time,” Rift said. “Do you wanna go again?”
”Sure,” Lacerta said.
So they did. Most of the rounds somehow Hadrian and Nebula ended up teaming up to either work everything out, or deceive Rift and Lacerta. Then there was the betrayal of 2021, Hadrian got werewolf and tricked everyone into thinking it was Nebula.
After everyone started getting hungry, Rudy out the game away, and everyone who brought food took it out. Lacerta had made wraps earlier that day, so she brought a container of wraps. Rift had made a fruit salad, fitting for the group, and tooth picks to use as cutlery. Hadrian had brought some fried rice, and Nebula pulled out a thermos full of soup. Nothing worked together, as per usual, but they enjoyed their feast under the stars.
Gradually Hadrian and Nebula had gotten more comfortable around each other, and even Rift was starting to raise a few eyebrows at the two. Eventually when Hadrian started getting so dissociated that Rift and Lacerta knew a switch was occurring, Rift led Nebula away. The two still weren’t sure if Hadrian was okay with Nebula knowing.
Based on the red in Nebula’s face, and Rift having absolutely no filter, Lacerta guessed that Rift had voiced their thoughts on Nebula maybe liking Hadrian. Yeah, Lacerta and Rift were so going to do everything in their power to make that happen. It was almost as painstakingly obvious as Scorpius’ feelings for Albus. Albus on the other hand was too difficult to read. That coming from an autistic person meant little, but the fact that Lacerta could immediately pick up on Scorpius’ feelings should have been an indication on how obvious he was about it.
Hadrian ended up switching with a heavily dissociated Amira, as she tried not to make her American accent so obvious, and attempted to hide her discomfort with being referred to as a male teenager. She also didn’t seem to know who Nebula was, just that she was nice. It got confusing from their since Amira is aromantic, and so any hints Hadrian had been dropping were no longer being dropped so Nebula probably got quite confused if she thought he might like her. God, dating could be so difficult if you didn’t fit the norm.
Soon enough the Youth Centre was closing, and they had to get off the roof. Nebula and Rift both got rides from their parents, but since for Lacerta and Hadrian it was only a short fifteen minute walk they didn’t bother. It was late at night, but Lacerta wasn’t scared so long as she was with someone, and neither was Hadrian & co.. Usually, Scorpius would join them and sleep over at the Flint’s, but he was grounded for a month.