Caswen

"Maybe we'll get to play the male leads together again, huh? Those guys. There's two of them. They're friends? Enemies? Lovers?"

- Ricky to E.J.

Caswen is the slash ship between Ricky Bowen and E.J. Caswell from the High School Musical fandom.

Canon
Ricky and EJ are not fond of each other because EJ started dating Ricky's ex-girlfriend, Nini, for whom Ricky still has feelings. Ricky decides to audition for East High School's production of High School Musical after finding out that both EJ and Nini are auditioning. Ricky is cast as Troy and EJ is cast as Chad and the understudy for Troy. While rehearsing a scene together, Ricky accidentally injures EJ with a basketball. He attempts to apologize but EJ brushes him off and asks him to stay away from him and Nini. Over time, Ricky and EJ come to tolerate each other. On opening night, Ricky is upset when he sees his mother with her new boyfriend and asks EJ to replace him in the second act of the show. However, when EJ realizes that Ricky is the one whom Nini loves, he steps aside and lets Ricky sing with Nini.

Ricky and EJ eventually become friends. After EJ decides to audition for a supporting role in East High School's production of Beauty and the Beast, he lets Ricky know that he can have the lead role, only to discover that Ricky is not doing the show. Ricky later changes his mind and decides to audition. He is cast as the Beast and EJ is cast as Gaston. On Valentine's Day, EJ confides in Ricky that he is a little upset since it is his first Valentine's Day without a girlfriend. EJ later becomes interested in Gina, for whom Ricky harbors feelings, and they begin dating.

EJ takes Gina and his friends to Camp Shallow Lake for the summer and is surprised when Ricky shows up. Before auditions for the camp's production of Frozen, Ricky tells EJ that he hopes that they will get to play the male leads together again. Ricky is cast as Kristoff and EJ is cast as Sven, Kristoff's best friend. Over the summer, Ricky and Gina rekindle their feelings for each other, which does not go unnoticed by EJ. However, Ricky respects EJ and Gina's relationship and even helps Gina to set up a promposal for EJ. Gina decides to break up with EJ when she realizes that they are on different paths, although EJ believes that it is also because of her feelings for Ricky. But EJ does not let this come between him and Ricky since he considers Ricky to be his brother.

Quotes
"Can you believe Ricky showed up?"

- EJ to Gina, Into the Unknown

"I'd fake-slap you, Ricky, but you're my brother."

- EJ to Ricky, Let It Go

Fanon
On AO3, Caswen is the second most written ship for EJ and the third most written ship for Ricky. It is also the fifth most written ship in the High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV) tag.

Fandom
FAN FICTION