Chapter Text
Knock knock knock
"John! It's me, Zeke!"
Ugh… Him again.
John groaned from his place in bed, trying with all his might to get up and answer the door. He should have expected Zeke, really. The guy took his job of reporting things to him way too vigorously. Everyday after school, like clockwork, he'd look for John at school, or if he was skipping, he'd end up at John's door. He should just give him the keys to his dorm at this point. Or, maybe, Zeke could take up Blyke's room? He wasn't sure how living with him would be like, though…
Knock knock knock knock knock
"Do you want to build a snowman?~"
oh my god, that dumbass.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" John dragged himself out and promptly fell onto the floor.
He really didn't give a shit anymore. They were all just mammals on this cruel earth anyway.. Who cared if he reverted back to a creature crawling on the ground? Someone should give him a medal for getting up anyway, when all that awaited him for the day was endless pain and suffering of his own volition.
"Come on, let's go and play!~ I never see you anymore, come out of the door, it's like you've gone away!~"
Sigh.
The infruriating but admittedly good singer had reached the second half of the song before John finally unlocked the door. What awaited him on the other side was a too-bright smile this early in the day.
"Good afternoon! I brought some tacos for us to eat." Zeke held up the bag, causing the smell of freshly cooked food to waft into his room.
He should really stop doing this for John. He was the one thing keeping him from dying of hunger.. Just let nature run its course..
John shook himself out of those thoughts, letting the other guy in. Zeke had made himself at home, shedding his outer school jacket and hanging it over a chair, and unfastening the first button on his uniform to breathe better.
Dammit, now he was remembering that stunt he pulled the other day, giving John his jacket to cushion his head while he slept.. The nerve of that dumbass, acting like some male lead in some romance novel. Recalling those moments never failed to throw him off balance, always taking space in his mind like some parasite. One of the only good dreams he had was about him and Zeke walking through the halls and holding hands and shit. And, well, he had a really good sleep but he didn't want any more of that!
Trying to prove a point, John rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and spoke gruffly. "Anything to report?"
This was all strictly transactional. Zeke was like Cecile. Just some pawn for him to order around.
"Yeah. Today, a fight broke out in the Safe House!" Zeke smirked as he relayed the news. "Some low tier and someone else who punched him. Just as you predicted."
Of course. It wasn't like they could all just hold hands and live in peace. That was delusional of Remi. And that had been delusional of himself, to think he could wish for a world like that..
John took a bite off his taco, swallowing before he continued. "Good. Later this week, let's storm the place, and.."
And then what?
What was the plan again?
What did he want?
'You blamed the rest of us for not taking enough responsibility, but now that we're finally taking initiative.. You're still berating us.'
'What do you want?'
'What do we need to do for you to finally be satisfied?'
"I don't know…"
"What?" Zeke tilted his head. Shit, he said that out loud? What was he saying again?
"They're so fucking stubborn, I don't know what would teach them a lesson," he snapped. When in doubt, bluff your way out. Just like Poker. "I just want them out of my sight. I'll pretend they don't exist."
"Aren't they plotting against you though? We should do something about that."
Yeah, that was what John thought at first. He was so confident he'd reveal their true colours, he made a fool of himself. They were welcomed into the Safe House, left alone there to relax in peace. It was something he wanted for so long. It was too good to be true.
"They're not my problem. I don't care what they do or what they say about me. They'll fail in the end anyway."
Zeke cheered. "Hoh! Spoken like an unbothered King. We love that."
"Pfft. Shut up, dumbass."
The room felt a little lighter, for some reason. John had been isolating himself here in the dorms, thinking that if he just avoided everyone, that ugly scorching anger inside of him would calm down. Being alone only made him feel more suffocated. Whenever Zeke came by, he felt a little more sane. Was there something wrong with him?
"Oh, and I got some of the school work you missed." Zeke dug into his school bag and added the papers to the growing pile on the table, that had accumulated over the past month.
Once again another thing that he'd been helping him with. John was sure that it was a lot of back and forth between classes to collect all the papers from every single teacher, so why did he keep doing it? John no longer had an excuse to miss out.
Zeke eyed the pile thoughtfully. There was obviously something he wanted to say. It was plain on his face.
No… Don't say it…
"Hmm.. You have a lot to catch up on.."
Zeke! Don't say it! Please!
"Hey, we should review the stuff. Then I can refreshen what I learned, and help you get up to speed."
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
"I… uh…"
What could John say that would NOT make him sound like an idiot? Dad always told him he was smart in his own way, but it was clearly not academically. There was something about John that only knew how to fight. He studied abilities and hand to hand combat with a motivation that hadn't been there for regular subjects, probably because he could never amount to anything other than a monster.
But to stay at Wellston, he really need to pull his grades up. He knew they've been slipping ever since Sera's suspension, and even more so when he came out as Joker. The headmaster had been lenient with his grades before. Recently, they've just given him a warning for getting the Royals hospitalized. He couldn't trust himself to not get into any more violent fights, so he needed to at least get his academics straight.
Feigning a confidence he did not have, he casually took one worksheet from the bottom of the stack. This was where he left off, right…?
What the fuck is this.
Ok… sin, like sin, cos, tan? Then this y apostrophe…. uh….
How would he even begin to try solving this?
WHY WOULD HE EVEN NEED TO KNOW THIS?????
"It's asking for the derivative," Zeke had peered over his shoulder and read the question to himself. "You're supposed to—"
John got defensive. "I know what to do! Move, your shadow is making it hard to see."
He shielded the paper from view, moving his pen to give the illusion that he was answering. He wasn't. He had no idea what the answer to this was. What were derivatives again? dx over dy? Maybe there was a tutorial online on YouTube.. But Zeke was right there! He wasn't about to look like some idiot in front of him, having to search up answers. Not that he was going to! He just needed to figure out how the Math worked. He wasn't some cheater.
"Alright, I'll back off," Zeke put his hands up in surrender. "Just, call me if you need help? Not only do I got the looks and the muscles, I also got the smarts."
Yeah, right. If Zeke of all people was an academically diligent student, then John would actually die of humiliation.
"Hey! I see you making that face!" Ah. was John that obvious? "I'll have you know, I'm very different from all the other Elite Tiers. I don't just make someone do my homework— I'd be in trouble during exams if I skip all the hard work."
"Wow, congratulations, you don't stoop to that level," John drawled. "But I'm still not asking you for help. You've already—" already help me with so much. I've burdened you enough "—been so nosy in my shit. I'm not some useless trash for you to keep fussing over."
"Well, I need the review, too. There'll be a Math quiz next Monday." Zeke pointed out.
Next Monday. John was so screwed. What day was it today? Friday? Was he capable of reviewing weeks worth of missed classes during the weekend? By himself?
He was starting to get tempted by his offer.
But he hated being this dependent on him.
"…I have an idea," Zeke said slowly. "What if we take turns asking each other questions? Then we'd be helping each other."
That.. might work. John wasn't sure what subjects he'd supposedly do better at, but this was better than just getting handouts. At least, like this, he wouldn't owe anything to Zeke. Who was he kidding, he never owed anything to anyone.
"Okay," John huffed out a breath, defeated. "How do I answer this question?"
"..You add a coefficient, the same number as the little exponents.."
...
"…And then minus one from the exponents…"
...
"…The y variables are multiplied by dx/dy" "Why just those?" "Uhh I forgot.."
...
"..Sine turns into cosine" "It's pronounced sine?…"
...
"…And then you divide it all by…
...
"…We're done!" "Why isn't it in any of the choices?" "Maybe flip the negative and positive signs?…"
...
"Ok, now that you had a review, here's an easier way of finding the answer without computing everything..."
…
John double checked the answers and his workings, sighing in relief when they matched. He circled the letter A. They spent the past hour working on this single question. How pathetic.
..But, well, he also spent the past hour relearning the entire subject. Looking at the other questions, he sort of had an idea of what to do now. And he had Zeke to thank for that. He couldn't meet his eyes as he said it. "Thank you."
It wasn't just for the homework help. He also meant the Triple Chocolate Cake, and the boba drinks. For following John's orders, even though they didn't make much sense, in hindsight. Most of all, he was really, really thankful for his company. He hated being alone.
"It's nothing, really," Zeke set aside the worksheet. John had protested for a moment- and then remembered they were doing this questioning game. Goodie. He really wanted a break from Math. Maybe looking at some other subject would do him some good. While waiting for the other student to pull some paper out, he downed a glass of water.
He thought they were just studying.
"Why did you pretend to be a cripple?"
A lump formed in his throat, and John had a violent spit take. He lowered his head to cough at the floor, choking for an agonizing minute that felt like eternity. This fucking bastard.
"I.. I thought.. Weren't we just asking each other help for homework?!" John rubbed at his sore throat and glared fiercly into those deceitful green eyes. "You tricked me."
"What? No! Well— I thought you knew we'd just do general questions!" Zeke flailed, seeming to be genuinely surprised. Or maybe he was a really good liar. "It's fine. Let's stop!"
Hmph. For some reason, John felt bad. Even though he was the one taken advantage of. He should have known Zeke was planning something. Doing all these nice acts to let his guard down.
"No. Let's do it." It was just a couple of stupid questions. How hard could it be? "I pretended to be a cripple because…."
Because…
Ok. Maybe he didn't quite think this through. He should have just accepted it when he was given an out.
Back then, when he was a king in New Bostin, he just stopped because the authorities were involved. They fixed him, and he learned he was a monster who didn't deserve his ability. He had grown up a late bloomer, and should have stayed a cripple. The power got to his head, and it made him uncontrollable. These days, it seemed like he was teetering that line between being in control and losing it entirely. Everything felt just like New Bostin, so maybe he had lost his control.
He thought the best way to keep everyone safe was to isolate himself. Stay in his bed, rotting away. But then his father wrote UnOrdinary. He never gave up on him.
John always knew he could never be a hero. Dad was trying to tell him to use his powers for the sake of goodness, but he just couldn't. He was a monster, plain and simple. The least he could have done was stop this monster from getting out.
"It was just my place in life." He eventually muttered. His fists clenched and unclenched, the phantom pain of being cuffed burned into his being. "I wasn't fit to be King, even if I was the strongest. I was doing everyone a favour, hiding my power. But, of course, some people just couldn't be fucking satisfied with that, huh?"
Zeke nodded attentively, brows furrowing as if he was trying his hardest to understand him. John worried he'd have a stroke from thinking so hard. He knew he wasn't normal—he was an anomaly in society's oh so important hierarchy. The strongest ruled, the weak cowered. To willingly put up with all the bullying, harassment, and unfairness, when he had the entire school in his hands unheard of.
Well, that's why he gave up on that plan. He spent so long trying to control himself. That wasn't enough, to everyone's selfish desires. They want even more control over him. Why must he punish himself, when everyone else got to stay horrible people forever?
…
He glanced up at Zeke, whose face was still scrunched up in thought. It was John's turn to ask. He could bring up another Math question, get some more of that tutoring he desperately needed. He didn't think he was quite up for it, though. His mood was kind of ruined.
So, instead, he shot back at Zeke, "Why were you such an insufferable demon sent from hell with a shitty superior complex?"
"What-? No I wasn't!"
"Yes you were!" John huffed. "One of the most annoying people I've ever met. A two faced bastard who looked down on everyone you deemed unworthy while acting all sweet and cute to higher tiers."
Zeke perked up. "Cute, you say?"
Did he just?—
"I don't mean it literally!" He felt his face heat up. Dammit! That dumbass with selective hearing! "You were trying to act cute, but you weren't! You were all weird and creepy!"
Zeke had this stupid smirk on his face, all too proud, even when John had stressed exactly what he meant. Dumbass. John probably only boosted his ego, judging by the way he began to wave his pale blue hair around like a shampoo advertisement.
"Wait, who's the most annoying one on your list?" Zeke was starting to get actually nosy now. Jeez, he shouldn't have done this. It would keep rolling from here. "And what did they do?"
…hm. This would be a good chance to test his loyalties. He knew Zeke was the kind of person to leech onto whoever's stronger..
"Arlo," John grumbled. "He was the first to discover that I have an ability. He wasn't so fond of me pretending to be a cripple."
It was more messed up the more he thought about it. Arlo had orchestrated all the moments he thought were coincidental meetings. He made John believe they were becoming friends.
That was an idiotic move on his part. John shouldn't have trusted so easily.
"Ahh, yeah, he's suuuper annoying." Zeke scoffed with an irritation that didn't seem fake. "He acts like he's better than everyone. You're a much better king. Like, you're very honest! Brutally honest! And, um, much more badass!"
Huh. Laying a bit thick on the compliments.
"He's the worst." John huffed. "He had the nerve to go against me, and look at me like a fucking monster, when he did this. It's his fault, more than everyone's, that I lost my patience."
Zeke hyped him up. "Yeah! He just wants to control people like he's still the King!"
"He wants to keep pretending he's better than me. He isn't." John was on a roll now, ranting. "He's a monster who beat me down just because he thought he was stronger. I hate those kinds of people. I hate them!"
At the end, the only thing that could be heard was his heaving. Maybe he'd gone on for too long. Zeke was silent, watching him like a single wrong move would set him off.
"Hey.. John…" Those green eyes seemed nervous. The stupid smirk on his face was gone. "About… before.. Listen, are you still mad..?"
"It's my turn to ask," John cut in, leaning forward. That was the rule, right? They took turns asking. One at a time. "What's your deal? Is this you 'acknowledging me as king'? Kissing up to me because I'm stronger? You're scared that I'll wipe the floor with you again?"
Those green eyes flinched, but Zeke stayed in place, their noses inches away from each other. 'That's it. I nailed it spot on. I don't matter to him—'
"What? Of course not..!" Zeke laughed nervously. "John, we're buddies, aren't we?"
It's so obviously a lie it hurts. Something said to placate him. To make sure he calmed down, that he doesn't go berserk with violence. He should have known, really. He did know. John had always known what kind of person Zeke was, but he'd been so alone he just needed someone. Even if it was somone like him.
In a way, this was the best he could have done. Being betrayed by someone he trusted would be a lot more painful. But Zeke? He wasn't even a traitor. He had always been his enemy.
"Leave." John whispered. He hated him. But this was his last act of mercy to the guy. Letting him leave without a scratch..
Zeke was sweating, his eyes darting back and forth. "Listen, I've always wanted to be your friend! Think about all the things I've done for you."
'I'm gonna enjoy making you suffer and giving you a taste of reality!'
'The mighty Seraphina has fallen. You can call me the Godslayer.'
'I heard some rumors that you were Joker. I just wanted to prove to everyone that you indeed aren't.'
"You really think I'll believe a shitty lie like that?" John stood up from his chair, which had fallen onto the ground from how harshly he pushed it. "You were smiling while beating me up!"
"No! You don't understand!" Zeke panicked. "It's like, when a boy bullies a girl when he has a crush on her you know?"
What the fuck was he saying now?—
"JOHN! I LOVE YOU!"
Extra:
www.Reddit.com
r/AITAH 5 hours ago
u/The_Strongest_King_67
Am I the asshole for pretending I like someone?
Im in highschool and for the past year or so since this guy transferred Ive been putting him in his place. See Im one of the schools top ranking students so obviously Im a lot stronger than a lot of people. This guy in particular is a cripple with no ability, but hes SUPER annoying and likes to pick fights so I had to beat him up yk?
BUT IT TURNS OUT hes THE top ranking student. He has this insane god tier ability and was the true king of the school, but he only revealed himself recently! I was so pissed like wtf would you pretend to be a cripple? And then HE was mad at ME for beating him up when he POSED AS A CRIPPLE.
Anyway even though i was mad and didnt do anything wrong, i had to get on his good side or he would send me to the hospital (hes done that to me twice already) so ive been hanging out with him and doing all these things like getting him cake, going to boba cafes with him, studying with him, or just hanging out in his dorm room(we re discussing me moving in with him).
It was all good but today we started having some deep talk and asking each other questions. It turned out he had some sorta depression from using his ability, thats why he pretended to be a cripple. Then he asked me why ive been hanging out eith him-- its because hes the king and im fucking terrified of him, but I couldnt say that! But he knew the truth anyway! Whatever i say, truth or lie, itd make him mad and we wouldnt hang out anymore! So i just blurted out that i have a crush on him, and thats what got him to calm down. He got all flustered and blushing and still kicked me out of the dorms, but he didnt look that mad and he actually looked pretty cute, so maybe im in the clear? I just did what i had to to survive! But i think i might have to spend the next few days pretending to like him or something. Maybe we ll go on another boba date?
tl;dr, i bullied this kid but he turned out to be stronger than me. I pretended to have a crush on him so he won't kill me. Am i the asshole?
Sort comments by: best
ReintheSpider 3 hours ago
Yes, you are the asshole.
hihiimmimi 1 hour ago
Holy Yaoi
Adr10n 27 minutes ago
Umm I think you should try redeeming yourself! Read up on the struggles of low tiers, that would help you understand him better!