The slow, soft bob of Maddison's head was enough. That was a nod, that meant he was in.<br/>And, ah, was the boy reading his mind? Was he in on it already without being told? Case wasn't sure but the way his palm smoothed over the bunched fabric of his shirt, straightening it out after bunching it in frustrated fists, Case couldn't help but think it would give perfect visual detail to the fake relationship he was about to announce they had.<br/><br/>He turned his face a smiled widely to Everett.<br/>"So great of you to offer Eve. It'd be much more comfortable to talk there." With that, he took Maddison at the shoulders by wrapping his arm around him and heading off back towards the art room. They'd need to pick up Jules first and that was probably going to be the hardest part of keeping up this rouse he was putting on. Just thinking about looking at the other boy was deeply painful, actually doing it was unimaginable.<br/>So he distracted himself.<br/><i>'Hmm... how long should it be?'</i>He wondered internally, trying to map out a time line for his and Maddison's relationship. Of course, it should have been a joint discussion between them to get the finer details, but it wasn't like they could very well hash it out then and there with Everett right on their tails. He would hear the whole thing and he couldn't very well be in on the joke. Well .... not really a joke, it was hardly funny by anyone's standards.<br/><br/><i>'It can't be longer than the two of them, we'd need to be fresher, it needs to still be new between us, give reason for the secret and reason for my outburst back in the art room...'</i>When scheming Case really could be quite methodical, thinking everything through expertly and even giving shine to tiny details that could make something truly believable. Well, he was the son of a lawyer, he had to show the heritage somewhere.<br/><br/>He thought about the last time the boys had all been at Julien's place, around four weeks before. It had been a normal hang out - or so it had felt at the time, looking back on it now he felt a sour feeling in his mouth at the image in his mind of Julien and Everett sitting so close together - the boys has all gone over for dinner, games and general gibbering chatter. After Case's old man had text him for the zillionth time and left enumerable missed calls on his phone, the blonde had decided it was time to head back. One announcing his leave, Maddison had said he should get going too. The two of them had left together and Eve and Jules had stayed.<br/>Case instantly felt sick at the thought of leaving them alone together that night, even though he now knew their relationship had gone on far longer before that, but it still somehow felt like a mistake.<br/>He shook the thoughts away with a soft toss of his hair and got back on track. That time line worked and he could easily make a confession story up with their walk home together in the darkness. Mads would just have to agree. Or out him completely. Either way, it was going to be a distraction and Case needed it, so this was going to be a blockbuster or going down in a blaze of glory - he and Mads playing the lead roles in their own drama.<br/><br/>It wasn't long before the group appeared back at the art room and Case stopped before the door, turning to Everett and giving a little awkward smile.<br/>"Eve, why don't you head in and pick up Jules, we'll wait here. I feel like a bit of a dick for the explosion before and I doubt Jules took it well, right?" He paused a moment, awaiting some form of confirmation from Everett, be it a nod or a full blown 'Yes you dumb ass, how'd you think he would take it you raging buffoon!?'<br/>"We can all head back to yours and I promise I'll explain myself." Case lifted his hands, finally freeing Maddison from the grip under his arm he'd been holding him in and showed his palms in innocence, a small smile on his lips. Case should have dropped both the ideas of music and law ever being his future, he could sure as hell make it as an actor.