"No way could Plant Man lose to the Crimson Chin. I mean, seriously. They guy's main super power is an enormous, jutting chin," Richie said.

"I'm just saying..." Virgil shrugged. "Hey, what's going on over there?"

"I'm not looking."

"No, really. There's a bunch of people," Virgil said, pointing to the school's entrance.

There was, indeed, a large group of students clustered near the doors, chattering excitedly.

They went to see what the commotion was and found themselves wading into a thick circle of girls. Virgil pushed to the center. He got scratched and stepped on by several girls with pointy shoes, but he finally got through. In the middle of the chaos, he found Derek Barnett.

"Hey, Virgil," he said.

"Hey, Derek. Welcome back." Virgil bumped fists with him. "You get that, uh, problem worked out?"

"Yeah. They found a cure, and I'm back to normal. I gotta get to class, though," he said as the first bell rang.

"Sure. Don't wanna be late on your first day back."

"Catch me after school, okay, Virgil? We can go to Burger Fool or something."

Virgil nodded, and Derek disappeared into the building. The girls dispersed more slowly, still gossiping. He turned to look for Richie and found his friend beside the bike rack.

"So Derek's back. He get cured?" Richie asked.

"Yeah."

"That's good. He's a good guy."

Something in Richie's tone made Virgil frown. "You okay, bro?"

"I'm fine. Why?"

"It's nothing." Richie wasn't fine, but the tardy bell rang, so Virgil dropped it.

After school, Richie got blindsided by Freida and ended up helping her on a science project, so Virgil went to Burger Fool with Derek. He bought Virgil's food and sat at a booth in the back. They talked in between bites. Virgil filled Derek in on school gossip, and Derek told Virgil about his stay in the research facility.

When they were almost ready to leave, Derek leaned forward and smiled.

"I'm glad we're alone," he said. "I really wanted to talk to you."

"About what?"

Derek glanced away and licked his lips quickly, then locked gazes with Virgil. "I like you, Virgil. Really like. The way Richie likes you."

"We're best friends," Virgil said slowly. He leaned back in his seat.

"Not that way. Haven't you noticed?" Derek looked frustrated, sitting back as well.

"Sorry, man. I don't know what you're talking about."

"I mean that I find you attractive, and I'd like to ask you out," Derek said bluntly.

"Oh. Oh." Then he realized that Derek had said Richie... "You mean Rich? Me?"

"Yeah. Look, I'm gonna go. I didn't mean to out him like that, but I think you and Richie need to talk. Tell him I'm sorry."

Derek didn't talk to Virgil at school much after that, but Virgil didn't really notice. He was too busy watching Richie. Watching Richie watch him. But he still didn't understand. Richie had always looked at him the same way.

Then he saw Freida flirting with Richie in science lab, and there was that look in her eyes. The same look that Richie got all the time, the one that Derek had had when he first leaned over the table and smiled.

Virgil didn't know what to do.

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Author's notes: Firstly, I normally don't write anything but one-shots, and I never post works-in-progress, but I think this chapter stands alone okay. It was originally intended to be a one-shot, anyway.

Secondly, this idea wouldn't leave me alone after the last time I saw "The Breed." Derek was so mackin' on V, don't you think?