Jay's Fantastical Sleepover Extravaganza

Toni kicked his feet without really thinking.

"Toni..."

The freckled boy sat still at Kenji's warning. His teacher calmed down since they all first arrived here a few days ago, but he was still very tense. It made Toni feel like any little thing he did could be wrong. For reasons he'd rather not say, hearing the rain fall also made him feel uneasy. Thankfully, the weather station music took his mind off of things.

"We're back!" announced Benji. He sat down in Maxy's chair

Stanley sat in one nearby. "Sorry, I know we were gone a while." He looked a little worried. "Has Jay not come back yet?"

"Nope!" answered Maxy, who walked in from the other side, plopping down between Toni and Nicky.

"That's strange... Jay has a flight to catch."

"How's the weather?" asked Benji.

As if to answer, thunder crackled, followed by heavier rain.

"It's not supposed to ease up until morning." Kenji tapped his foot. How come he got to move?

Toni looked at Maxy, then back at the others, then back at Maxy. He didn't want to be too obvious about what he wanted to ask.

He poked one of Maxy's big arms.

"What?"

"Otearai wa...?" Toni whispered, motioning back from where Maxy came.

"You need to pee?" Maxy announced to the whole world. "Yeah, the bathroom's back that way!"

"No? No!" denied Toni. "Actually..." His eyes darted back and forth at Kenji. "Is it okay for me to?"

"Go." Higgy demanded.

"Yeah, if you have to." Kenji's voice sounded a little confused. "You don't have to ask me for permission."

"I just– I didn't wanna go if it was bad or something." Now Toni felt silly for asking.

Maxy slapped his brother on the back. "Don't worry! You won't be the first to use it!"

Higgy groaned. Toni excused himself, bowing in appreciation to Kenji along the way. Even as he walked, he could hear the start of an argument.

"What's with you? You need to go next?"

"Why are you like this?" Higgy grumbled.

"What, I never said I went. I'm sure Jay uses 'em at some point. Maybe he's stuck in there now."

"Could you act civilized for once in your life?"

"Sorry, I'll poop like a gentleman next time."

Toni could almost hear Higgy glaring.

"What? Everybody goes!"

"Could we not do this right now?" pleaded Kenji.

Benji snickered. "Hey, when nature calls, nature calls!"

"I long to hear the sweet song of Mother Nature."

"Nicky, what on Earth are you talking about?" asked Higgy.

"You... want to have to go to the bathroom?" Kenji guessed.

"I just thought that sounded nice."

"...Is this what I've been missing?" poor Stanley.

Further away from the commotion, he heard a different voice as he passed by the stairs.

" ...If it's not too much to request, could you ask Kamala to call me back later tonight? ...She probably won't be available? ...No, no, that's fine, heheh. Thank you anyways. Toodeloo~"

Toni heard the click of a phone, followed by the deepest sigh he'd ever heard. Another number dialed.

"Why do I bovver? ...Yep, 'e's not picking up." Jay muttered so low, Toni could barely hear it. Curiosity compelled him to stop just on the other side of the stairs. "Oi, Rooshie! It's me, your favorite bruva, haha! Don't worry, I'm not calling about a collab this time. I was just wondering if you've ever entertained at your 'ome before, since I know you 'ave a bit of a reputation as a party animal, ahahahahaha. I, um, need your advice. Please do call back soon. Ta ta, now~"

Another phone click, another sigh. Toni felt a little bad for listening in, plus he had bigger things to worry about. He continued to the bathroom.

While washing his hands, he looked in the mirror, the first one he'd seen since entering the house. How could he ever be a man? Men were so scary! Except for Jay, and Higgy, and Nicky, and Kenji, and... Those were all exceptions! Even still, they all had an air of coolness that Toni couldn't see himself ever having. Did he want to? A hair grew from his chin. He plucked it with his bare hands. It stung a little, but it felt right.

He dried his hands and left the bathroom. Walking to the main hall, he remembered how sad Jay sounded between the phone calls. Did anyone call him back? When he got to the main hall, he didn't hear anyone upstairs.

Instead, he saw someone.

Jay tugged at his bangs while walking down the steps. Both he and Toni stopped in their tracks when they saw each other.

"Oh, 'ello!" Jay slapped his hand away from his hair and smiled. "Didn't expect to see you. You weren't there for long, were you?"

Toni's mind screamed at the chance to get to talk to Jay alone. "No! I just went to the bathroom... To wash my face!"

"Oh right, there's a bathroom there." His glitter bowtie sparkled in the light. He looked so cool and serene. "Why don't we walk back together?"

All Toni could do was smile and nod, maybe a couple more times than he needed to.

Jay laughed, but not in a mean way. It was the soft, kind way Tsuki would laugh. They had the same gracefulness. Toni couldn't wait to tell her about this when he got home.

The noise from earlier must've quieted down a while ago, because when Toni and Jay came back, barely anyone talked.

"We're back." announced Jay. "I do 'ope I wasn't gone too long."

Toni waved. He didn't know what else to do but stand there.

"Welcome back!" Stanley greeted them first. "I was starting to wonder if something happened to ya."

"Terribly sorry to make you worry! I just 'ad a couple calls to make." Jay clasped his hands.

"We were just discussing how we're going to get back home in this storm, since we know you have places to be." explained Kenji.

"My, 'ow considerate of you, but that's what I came 'ere to talk to you all about, heheheh." Jay noticed Toni still standing beside him. "Oh, you're free to sit down if you'd like."

Toni walked back to his seat between Kenji and Maxy, barely able to hide a grin from ear to ear. Though he tried to avoid them, he could feel Higgy's eyes on him.

"Well, first of all," Jay began, "you 'ave no need to worry about interrupting me flight, because it's been cancelled!" His fingertips curled to his palms in joy. "And as for you, I'd 'ate to send you out in this right dreadful weather, so if it's okay, I would like for you to stay the night."

A night at Jay's house? How lucky could they get? Toni and the others looked at each other with surprise and excitement. This could be the greatest night of their lives!