Declan shrugged, "I told you I would, and I keep my promises, plus I think I've made things awkward enough and given you plenty to think about. For our next meeting, um," he paused for a second trying to remember what he'd planned before this session completely derailed. "Just..." he ran a hand through his hair. "Review the Bill of Rights, we'll talk about some of the more obscure amendments. Then, move into looking at the ways something becomes an amendment and what amendments have impacted the United States." Declan finished more confidently though he fought back an unsure cough. He watched Koda, curious what the boy would say.

Declan had promised? it took Koda a second to realize what he was talking about. In the course of the lecture, the promise to have a short lesson was forgotten. "Oh okay...." He really hated how he sounded a bit disappointed and relieved at once. Declan looked about ready to run out of the room and when he did, Koda would be all alone until evening. He just hung his head though and wrote on a piece of paper that he needed to review the bill of rights as an excuse not to look at Declan.

Declan studied Koda for a second, while breathing steadily trying to calm himself down. Did his pupil seem a little... disappointed that Declan was going to leave? That certainly seemed odd. Declan stopped packing up his textbooks a little and debated internally with himself about asking this next question. It was very much outside of protocol, but special situations demanded special things, right? He needed to reach out to this kid, and Koda was legendary throughout the program for sending tutors running. He leaned back in his chair and studied the student for a few more moments, being uncharacteristically quiet. Declan opened his mouth, cleared his throat nervously, and said, "Or we can end the lesson. And just talk. I stand by what I said the other day, Koda. I think you're a pretty bright kid, whose just not used to having someone actually take the time to care about what you're interested in and what you want and need." Declan looked away from Koda, and sorta held his breath. This could go very, very badly for him. It could seem like he was coming on to Koda, or someone else could find out. It was just. This could get him fired, but he felt the need to do it. There was just something about this kid.

Koda's head snapped up as Declan started talking and he looked wide-eyed at him. His cheeks flushed and he jumped up, hands planted on the table like he was angry, but he turned his head away with eyes boring holes in the floor. "N-no way! Yeh said you were gonna leave so you should!" he yelped, sounding more desperate than angry. This was definitely weird. He couldn't go getting close to a teacher. He really shouldn't feel lonely and he shouldn't want Declan to go back to being his normal annoying nerdy self. He definitely shouldn't be thinking that even if this situation was getting awkward. He was just making it worse. He was completely freaking himself out with his behavior. Did he want Declan to leave or not? He didn't really know.

Declan blinked a part of him surprised at Koda's reaction, but then he shook his head. He shouldn't care; yes, he wanted to help the boy, but he'd just have to do that through teaching. "Of course, I shall see you next time." Declan said, hating that his tone went immediately formal, almost clipped. It was a bad habit of his; something he developed in high school, when he had been bullied for being Irish and gay. He tried to send Koda a smile, maybe softening the harshness in his word, as he gathered the rest of his stuff. He turned and started to head toward the door, hoping that this session wouldn't change their dynamic in the sessions for the worse. He stopped and turned, muttering softly, "Awkwardness aside, I do think today was a really productive session. You did well today, Koda." Then, he continued on his way towards the door.

Koda stood there, biting his lip to keep from calling out as he watched Declan walk away. He'd done good? He felt a little high hearing that and the thought occupied him for a while. when he came back down to earth, Declan was gone. "BYE!" Koda yelled suddenly, hoping he said it before the tutor had completely left the house. Rather than checking, he grabbed the bag of chips and his ipod before running up to his room. He sunk into his music and tried to clear his head of all the confusing thoughts. He just wanted them to go away so he could go back to being him.

Declan walked out to his sedan and sighed. This session had been both extremely successful and a complete disaster. He had never slipped up like that with a student before. Ever. Declan was extremely tight-lipped with his students, and none of them would ever guess he was gay; he simply didn't look it. So this was kinda uncharted territory.

He started the car and pulled out his phone, quickly pressing the speed dial for his buddy, Gary. He and Gary had been best friends since freshmen year of college. Quickly discovering that they were both gay, even when neither one of them fit the stereotype (not really); though Gary maybe a little bit more than Declan. The phone rang a couple times, before a muffled voice came across the line, "Dude, aren't you supposed to be tutoring some brat?"

"Um, yeah, man that's why I'm calling. I kinda accidentally told him I was gay, and he didn't really react except to freak out. And this is a line I've never crossed, and what if he tells his mother, and I get fired. Could it be construed as sexual harrassment and--"

"Wow, dude, hold up. You are like really freakin' out here. It's not just that." Gary paused, "Man.... is he your type?"

"He's my pupil, Gary." Declan stated very firmly into the phone

"So that's a yes."

"No, really, Gary. I just feel for the kid. Reminds me of myself a bit. I don't think he's ever had any really reach out to him, listen to him."

"He's totally your type. No matter what you say."

"You are not being helpful. I could get in so much trouble. Even if he was my type, which I'm not saying he is, I can never do anything about it. I could screw my entire life over."

"And I repeat he is your type. Accept it. Bone him. Move on."

"I'm hanging up now, Gary. You are not helpful." With that, Declan closed his phone and threw it into the chair next to him. Turning his completely focus back to the road, he sighed. Okay, so maybe, Koda was a little bit his type, but that didn't change anything. Koda was his pupil, and he was not doing anything, anything to screw over his future.

That friday, Koda bothered to go to school and ALL of his classes, at least so far. It was lunch and he was sitting outside in his usual space behind the school. The teachers never came there and he could smoke in peace. Apparently going to class was very stressful. Not really because of the work though it did make his head spin, but because of the incredulous looks he got from teachers and snide remarks from other students.

Lunch break was nearly over when two of Koda's friends sauntered up from a good day of skipping. Koda tossed out his cigarette and turned to face them, already not in a good mood. One of his friends, a rather tall guy, smirked at him.

"I hear you've been going to all your classes lately," he teased. "Did you meet a pretty chic you're trying to get impress?"

"Shut up..." Koda growled. No girl was involved and he wasn't about to say he was going to class because a certain male tutor wanted him to. And a gay guy at that. The guy didn't get the message.

"Ohhoho, it is! Is she hot-?" he was cut off as Koda punched him. The guy punched back and the other friend got involved and all of them were pretty beat up by the time a teacher heard the yelling and broke them up. Koda was awarded with a few days detention and stalked home without bothering to go to the rest of his classes. His mom was watching some soap opera that must have been quite intense because he snuck inside without her noticing and crawled onto the porch roof to smoke another cig, ignoring the black eye he felt forming.

Declan breathed in and out slowly, as he turned the car onto Koda's street. He could do this. He hadn't gotten a call from the agency firing him, so that was a good sign. Right? He figured one of two things could happen when he knocked on that door. He would enter and have a session that proceeded like normal (and if that was the case he needed to get his shit together and stop freaking out) or he could have the door slammed in his face. He couldn't decide which scared him more.

Declan had spent Thursday night being thoroughly teased and interrogated by Gary. Declan was still feeling sort of sour towards his best friend. And none of the discussion had really made him feel any better about the events of Wednesday. He didn't lose his composure around students like that. And he certainly never had slips of the tongue like that. It just wasn't him, so why with Koda had it happened?

Declan pulled his car to a stop in front of the house and exited his car. Slamming the door behind him, he slowly approached the house and taking one last calming breath. He rang the doorbell, waiting for Koda or his mother to answer.

The porch roof was just around the corner from the front door and could be seen if anyone looked from the driveway. Koda saw a car pull up and he frowned deeply when he saw Declan step out. The man rang the doorbell before he could do anything about it and he prayed his mother had fallen asleep watching tv.

"Go away!!" he yelled loud enough to be heard from the door.

Declan blinked at the sound of Koda's voice; he looked up and noticed the teenager sitting on the roof. He sighed and called back. "Our tutoring session is today. I'd rather not waste your mother's money, considering I get paid either way." He looked at the boy for a few more seconds adjusting the glasses on his face. Was that a bruise forming on the younger male's face?

"And I really don't care about my mum's money!" he snapped back readily. Even after one fight today, he was just as angry. Actually, he was more angry since he couldn't get his "friend's" teasing out of his head. He was seriously reconsidering the guys status as his friend right now.

"I'm not in the mood for no stinkin lesson, so ya might as well leave!" he added when Declan made no immediate move to go.

Declan moved away from the door, and a bit closer to Koda, "That's a pretty nice shiner you got there, Koda. Say the wrong thing to the wrong person? or do something your buddies didn't like. I know, know 'enemy' of mine would have gotten close enough to lay one on my eye. Now friends? They were dangerous... you never know when they'll be your bud and when they'll cause a fight." He looked up at the younger boy, raising an eyebrow, and the corners of his lips twitching.

Koda's eyes went wide. "what?!" he yelped, probably loud enough for most of the neighbors to hear. "You don't know anything! Just shut up!!" He jumped up as he started yelling, but felt a bit wobbly standing on the slanted surface and quickly sat back down, glowering down at Declan.

"Maybe, I don't know, but I can guess. Remember I've been there kid. Had a few nice shiners like that one in my day too. Not a single one was caused by someone I considered an enemy. Most were caused by my best friend at the time actually. You know sulking isn't going to change the fact you got into the fight, nor is it gonna change what caused it." he paused, "Have you even put ice on that? It will actually help it heal faster, numb it a little bit too. I bet that stings like a bitch."

(best friend-not gary; never had a black eye have no clue how they feel)

Koda subconsciously touched his eye and winced. He hadn't put ice on it because he was too upset. His lips were drawn tight as Declan spoke and he really didn't like what he was hearing.

"I'm not sulking..." he complained, looking back at the window, considering some ice. It really did hurt and not just his eye. He knew he had quite a few bruises that were really starting to bother him.

Declan resisted the urge to respond sarcastically, not certain how the kid would react. Instead he said, "Sure looks like sulking." he shrugged his shoulders. "But I guess if you aren't going to let me in, and I can't exactly get up there to you; I might as well leave." He eyed Koda, "You'd probably feel better though if you had something to take your mind of whatever it is." Declan purposed didn't pry. If Koda wanted to initiate the conversation, great. If not, then so be it. Right now, his primary goal was to get Koda down from the roof.

A second passed as thoughts ran uncharacteristically fast through his mind. When he heard Declan's last bit of advice, he seriously considered it and then realized that the man might really leave. "WAIT!" Koda yelped, before quickly scrambling through the window and running down the stairs to quickly open the door. He flung it open and looked out with a bit panicky eyes as he searched around to make sure Declan was still there.

Declan had been moving slowly to his car when he heard Koda shout wait and then about a minute later the door flinging open. Mission: successful. He turned around and gave Koda a little while. "I'm glad you see it my way," he said as he began moving back towards the house. "Now, before we start our lesson let's get you some ice," he paused, "and maybe advil if your mother wouldn't mind. I doubt that shiner is your only battle scar. Then, we can look at the Bill of Rights again. Do you do you assignment?" Declan asked as he moved briskly into the kitchen, setting his books and supplies on the table there.

Koda sighed in relief, seeing that Declan was still there. He followed the man into the kitchen, fidgeting nervously. "Uh....I forgot to do the assignment..." he muttered, glancing into the tv room to see his move was in fact asleep. He grabbed the advil from a cabinet and went about in search of a clean cup in order not to look at Declan.

Declan sighed, but wasn't too annoyed. still wondering what had caused Koda to get into a fight. He said, "I'd have preferred if you'd done it, but no matter. We can still talk about the Bill of Rights. That will probably still be our primary focus today." he watched Koda move around the kitchen while he said this and then moved to grab the towel of the oven. He moved to the freezer and wrapped it around a handful of ice before moving back to the table. He waited for Koda to move over to it before handing him the towel.

"Uh, okay..." Koda muttered. He moved over to the table and sat down, taking the ice with a tiny smile of thanks. "I like, meant to do it and all, but my friends wanted me to go to the arcade and um...." he trailed off, realizing he was actually making an excuse for not doing his homework. he should feel ashamed for it, but felt more ashamed at having to tell Declan he didn't do his work.

Declan bit back a grin at Koda; the younger male actually felt guilty for not doing his work. He was certain that this was something the youth had never felt about any of the work he'd received at school. And this is why a little caring goes a long way, he thought as he pulled the sheet of paper with the first ten amendments on it out of the stack of work he'd brought. He placed it inbetween the two of them on the table. So we've already discussed the first three, which means we are on the fourth."

Koda nodded slowly and looked at the paper as best he could with one good eye. "Uh, the fourth one is....search and seizure?" he read from off the paper. He blinked. "That's related to court right?" he asked, remembering an episode of Law and Order he saw once.

Declan half-nodded, "Court could be related, but this is more about warrants. We are safe and guaranteed that police and law officials cannot search our house without good cause. Police can't just show up on your door stop and come into your house. It is illegal for them too. They have to obtain a warrant. And to obtain one they have to have good information that there is something in your house they need to see. It protects our privacy." Declan had to bite his lip to not bring up a case about sodomy where this amendment had been violated; of course in their state, Texas. He really didn't need to bring up the whole gay thing again.