"Excuse us," the smooth voice cuts over the piano melody again, and the room slowly quiets down. "Welcome to our annual art showing to celebrate our young and talented artists..." the voice continues. They make a short announcement about things, and then list all the students' names along with what floor they are presenting their work on. They thank all the people who helped sponsor and fund the art show, and all the dispensations that they helped provide. After, they announce the different scouts, all between art museum scouts to contract scouts.
During the announcement, both the little girls get bored, and lay their heads down on Jacob's and Troye's shoulders. Angelina happily busied herself playing with Troye's curls silently, twirling the hair around her fingers and then letting it go to see it bounce. Meanwhile, Jacob was trying to get Gabi to stop messing with his tie, but to no avail. She stuck her tongue out at him, yanked it hard- making Troye snort as he watched- and now Jacob's tie is untied and a mess, but they both can't stop smiling.
Troye and Jacob walk over to the rest of the group with the twins in their arms. They are all over by Caspar, who is proudly holding Joe's hand and talking to his boyfriend's mum. Laurelle and Carrie are still chatting as if they are long lost best friends, and both Troye and Jacob have an itch that they're talking about them due to all the pointing and smiling they're doing in their direction. It makes them even happier, the twins in their arms who are both snickering and giggling as they tell them about the tricks they pull on their teacher since she can't tell the difference between the two of them.
**
"Alright then, you guys all ready to head up?" Joe asks the group of them. It's no doubt that he is asking for Caspar, who is smiling shyly despite the confidence he has in himself. It is also no doubt endearing, especially to Caspar and Joe's mothers who give each other that look.
There is a chime of 'yups', and Caspar smiles again, leading the way to the stairs with Joe beside him.
"You two got the girls, then?" Carrie asks, falling into pace next to them, "because I can take them if they're too much of a handful."
Becca whines, tightening her arms around Troye's neck, and she nuzzles his shoulder with her face. It makes Troye's heart melt, his bottom lip edging out as he tilts his head coos at her, shifting her higher up on his hip.
"I'm alright," he murmurs softly, tracing the little girl's nose and then bopping the tip of it.
Jacob smiles at his mum, soft and personal, and he nods his head, letting her know they're both alright.
The entire group slowly shuffles up to the fourth floor, zigzagging their way through the other people until they make it to the floor Caspar is presenting on. Joe finally lets go of Caspar's hand once they get to his little section of the room, only because he is taking the cloak off of Caspar's theme of his artwork, revealing the wooden display plaque that says, 'Seeing Things in a New Light.'
Once he is done, Joe kisses Caspar's cheek, and takes a standing place next to his and Caspar's family.
Caspar blushes, and coughs into his fist to try and hide his smile. "Alright," he says, clasping his hands in front of him. There is light chatter all through the room, students already introducing their work and telling the story behind each piece to their family members and friends. "Everyone ready?"
Caspar's eyes meet Jacob's momentarily, and Jacob gives his best friend a thumbs up, Pre copying him. Caspar smiles back, chuckling lightly.
"Okay," he starts, "in case some of you still can't read," he points a look to Tyler, and Tyler's own mom snorts, "the theme I was appointed to was 'seeing things in a new light.'"
