Archive of Our Own ^beta

"So, who ya' askin'?"

Raihan chokes over his carton of milk, lowering the box with a sputter as he uses a hand to wipe away the excess chocolate drink before it can drip to the camera around his neck. "'S'cuse you?"

The music club member rolls his eyes before leaning back in his seat, or at least as far as you can go on a backless cafeteria bench. "To the prom, it's next week ain't it? You been harpin' on 'bout it for the past month, what's got yer tongue this time around?"

Piers always tended to be on the nose about these sort of things, his keen sense of awareness was scary sometimes. Raihan frowns, moving his camera to the table before lifting his milk again, speaking over the paper surface with a groan. "Haven't asked anyone yet."

Pale eyes narrow in smug satisfaction as thin fingers rap on the metal table. "Called it, even the 'Great Raihan,'" here he air quotes, "can't snag a date to prom, eh?"

"Shut your jaw flapping or I'll kick your guitar."

"You wouldn't." Despite that response, black-booted feet move the guitar case further away from Raihan's reach underneath the table, just in case. Raihan crinkles his nose and sticks out his tongue before returning to finishing his carton.

"Why do you guys bully each other so much? Thought you both were friends." Sonia speaks with an exasperated sigh as a greeting as she takes a seat next to Raihan, a stack of warm freshly-printed papers in hand. With the science exhibition right around the corner, Sonia scant ever had a time to properly relax (and that was apparent with the stray hairs that peek from her usual tidy ponytail, the bags under her eyes, and the fact her nails hadn't had a proper coat of paint in weeks). 

Raihan snorts, resting his chin atop a palm as half-lidded eyes settle on Sonia with a grin. "I bully people I like."

Piers rolls his eyes in response. "Half-arsed lie."

An orange-sneakered foot swings its way too-close to the guitar case for comfort and Piers leans away with a scowl.

Sonia sighs again, counting up the papers before dropping them to the table with a groan and shrugging her handbag off her shoulder to the ground. "Thank Madonna I had Leon pick up my lunch, no way I was getting all o' this printed before lunch started. I could eat a whole horse and a pony to boot, I stayed up all night for this daft paper. Honestly, my lab partner's a total nonce, can only count to twelve and spin on his foot. He could work for a circus pretty well, honestly!" 

Blue eyes glimmer as Raihan raises a brow. "Honestly he looks at you like he fancies a snog every minute of the day. He ask you out to the dance yet?"

This time it's Sonia's turn to roll her eyes, a finger rising to curl around a lock of hair as she pursed her lips. "Only every time we meet up, it's getting tiring."

Piers tilts his head, maneuvering his fork to catch a prongful of peas. "Why not ask Nessa? She's been vying for you all quarter." 

At that suggestion, Sonia's fair skin is dusted with a faint red. 

"Really?"

Raihan grins a toothy smile. "Obviously."

She shoots him a withering glare. "Like you're one to talk."

Before Raihan could parse what that could mean, a flurry of purple and a glint of golden eyes catches his gaze as Leon sits down next to Piers with a flourish that only the president of the student council could pull off, setting a tray easily in front of a famished Sonia before placing his own down. 

"What are you all talking about?"

Sonia spoons a mouthful of mash into her mouth before pointing at Raihan and responding with a swallow. "That one's talkin' about prom dates."

Raihan's brows furrow as Piers nods in agreement. "Woah woah woah, we all were talking about prom don't shove it off on me."

But Leon, ever the gracious class head merely laughs, the movement shaking his shoulders. "Right, I mean, the dance is in two weeks isn't it?"

"One week." Sonia corrects him with a raised finger.

Leon's brows raise. "Oh, one week. Time's flying by a bit quicker than I expected."

Piers shrugs with a sigh. "Not fast enough, can't wait t' get finals over with. I'm ready to book it outta secondary."

Sonia pushes Piers' comment to the side with a tap of her finger on the table, her hunger satiated for the moment as she looks to Leon with a smile and brows wiggling. "So big man, got someone in mind for prom?"

Raihan nearly chokes again (this time on meatloaf) and Piers looks at him with a raised brow.

"Hmm, not really, been too busy wrapping up everything for the quarter to think about the dance at all. I'm not even really that involved with the dance committee." Leon speaks with a thoughtful look. "So no one really, but it doesn't really matter to me all that much."

(Strangely, Raihan can't help but feel a sense of relief.)

Sonia leans back with a cry, her fingers gripping the table. "Whaaa', and waste the last prom of your secondary career? This is your last chance to go with someone, ya' know!"

Leon laughs in response, an easy sound that sits well on Raihan's ears. "Yeah but I can't help it, busy with all the end-of-terms and stuff. Principal Rose has been wanting to plan an end-of-year celebration for the underclassmen too, actually. I've been putting together a committee for that. Oh-" Principal Rose, Principal Rose. As much as Raihan respected the guy, he always ran Leon to the bone. Rubbed him the wrong way, really, it's his beloved school why doesn't he do things himself. 

"Are you going to the dance?"

Raihan jumps with a start as a sharp elbow is tucked into his side. He looks at Sonia incredulously before she tilts her head to Leon, and Raihan takes a moment before realizing Leon had directed the question towards him, that golden gaze fixated on him expectantly. He straightens his back unconsciously, picking up his camera. 

"Yeah, kinda have to. Yearbook photographer, and whatnot."

The president chuckles, putting a finger to his head as he winces in a show of embarrassment. "Yeah, duh, I should've known!"

Raihan found the motion frustratingly endearing. 

As Sonia shovels the last of her food into her mouth she stands with a start, looking to the watch on her wrist with a groan. "Promised to meet with Gran in the lab in five, sorry guys I'll catch up with you all later." With a wave and an (impressive) balancing act with her tray, bag, and papers Sonia was off. 

"Can't help but feel sorry for her, Professor Magnolia has such high expectations." Leon speaks with a low whistle, and Raihan looks towards him with a frown.

Can't help but feel sorry for you , you busy daft man.

Raihan glances at Piers and notices the other's piercing gaze settled upon him in a pondering look. He looks away abashedly, turning his attention to what little was left of his food.

"Are you planning on going with someone, Piers?" Leon then asks the music club member with a smile, and the dark haired boy shrugs, a common gesture on those skinny shoulders as he looks back towards the council president.

"Maybe, but I'm one o' the acts playing so don't know how much time I'd spend with 'em. Thinkin' that I'll ask Gordie, since he's gonna be babysat by his mom all night anyways."

Leon laughs another laugh (and Raihan is beginning to suspect that they aren't genuine). "Good idea, Mrs. Melony tends to hover, huh? What about Sonia?"

"I think Nessa's plannin' on askin' her after the swim meet tomorrow." Piers answers in stride, lowering his fork and pushing his platter of meatloaf towards Raihan (who accepts it with a grin and a thanks). 

"Hm, Sonia and Nessa… I could see it, honestly! You know, I think Sonia secretly fancied Nessa since primary, she used to doodle her name in her notes." Leon speaks with a mischievous grin. 

Piers raises a brow, a similar smile on his face. "Really?"

Fingers move across Leon's chest, and Raihan watched his expression with a squeeze of his chest. "Cross my heart, she was head-over-heels."

As Leon and Piers bantered, Raihan felt an uncomfortable, unasked looming question hang in the air, a question that brought it all back to the beginning. Who was Raihan going to go with? Sonia and Nessa were accounted for, and Piers was out of the question (while he knew the inevitable rejection, it would still sting ). He could ask Gordie, but the thought of having a possible helicopter mom hovering over his final prom of secondary school was a real damper. He could ask Milo, but the gardening club member was more like a surrogate brother to the class than a possible date. Going out with him felt not only sad but… wrong .

Overall, it was a real predicament, a very secondary school only kind of problem.

"Still stuck on who yer gonna go with?" Piers asked with one of those wry smirks and Leon looks towards him with those brilliant eyes, and Raihan glances under the table (only to tsk ruefully at the way those combat boots safeguarded the leather case, not to mention Leon would definitely notice a firm kick that near his legs).

"Uh, yeah, I guess. It looks like most o' the people I know our year are accounted for." Raihan speaks with a breezy laugh, a lopsided grin on his face as he leans his cheek into the palm of his hand. 

Leon hums, tucking a stray lock of violet hair behind his ear. It's grown a lot longer over the course of the year, reaching his mid back by now. "That's true."

The yearbook member responds with a hum of his own, and Raihan has a sudden impulsive thought in his head. His lips open before he can think about it. "Leon?"

"Yeah."

"Hey, if we both don't have a date by the time prom rolls around, wanna just go with each other?"

Piers sputters on his bottle of apple juice and then coughs out a laugh. He takes a comical take between the two students, looking at Raihan before at Leon before back at Raihan again with an exasperated sort of crook to his lips. "Wait, yer serious?" 

"Serious as serious can get." Spoken with a jab of Raihan's elbow as he takes in another forkful of meatloaf, and Piers rubs at his side with a glare.

Before the singer could get in a sharp response the president lets out a laugh, a sound that comes from the stomach (and sounding much, much more genuine). 

"Sounds good, why not?"

Honestly, Raihan hadn't planned this far. He quickly swallows the mouthful of meatloaf he had before grinning at Leon and holding out the free hand not holding the fork he had been using. Something akin to excitement beat against his chest, taking hold of his heart (and he prays that the heat in his ears and neck aren't a reddening blush).

"Oh, is this a deal?"

Leon takes the hand with a matching smile, a vivacious glimmer in those golden, lustrous eyes. He gives a firm shake, his grip warm and familiar in Raihan's hands.

"Deal."

Piers just rolls his eyes.

"How's the search going?" Raihan sat down next to Leon, who looks up at Raihan with a happy sort of smile that had Raihan's heart racing in one gorgeous shine as he struggles to not drop his tray of food.

"Not at all, haven't had the chance to really ask around yet. Swamped with this paperwork at the moment, just getting the rest of the details with the venue all sorted up. Looks like I had to sign it off as council president. Still have five days, though." Leon speaks with a point of his spoon before lowering it back into the tray of corn and carrots he was nibbling out of. "You?"

Raihan shrugs before raising a hand, waving it around in a vague gesture. "The great Raihan's a man of patience, have to wait for the right time, y'know? Gotta let fate find its path."

Golden eyes squint as cheeks push them into another smile. "Never remembered you being the patient type, dragon boy. Remember when you fell into the lake because you insisted on riding that tire swing before it was repaired?"

Long arms fold over each other as Raihan makes his expression into one of mock contemplation. "Time changes people, Leon. I'm older, wiser… and totally just pullin' your leg." The yearbook student sticks out his tongue in a playful manner and Leon pushes the other gently with his shoulder.

"C'mon, think I was going to fall for that sorta cheese?"

"Was worth a shot."

Leon laughs and Raihan enjoys the sound, a strong sound for a strong, capable man. And Leon was just that, strong and leading and everything Raihan had also wanted to be, still wants to be. He hums, leaning his chin against his palm, a sudden nostalgic memory coming to the forefront of his mind.

"Do you remember a lot about our first year of primary?"

The president pauses before looking to the other with a quizzical look, an amused look to the quirk in his lips. "Yeah, kinda, what about it?"

Raihan grins. "And how I nearly got into a fist fight with you our first day? What was it over…" Here he strokes his chin before snapping his fingers with a cry. "Oh, yeah, it was on our favorite football member!"

Leon returns Raihan's grin with a wider one of his own, his eyes widening. "You mean when I shoved your sweater over your head after you pulled down my pants? Then we both had to be sent to Opal's office and she made us promise that we were going to be friends?"

At the mention of the pants thing Raihan rubs the back of his head with a snort. "Yeah, sorry 'bout your pants by the way."

"That event was the single reason I still wear spandex under my pants to this day."

"You're kiddin'."

"Maybe?"

The two laugh, and Raihan feels good. It was always like this, the two of them bantering together, a comforting presence to come back to after the stress and ordeals of a school day. Someone to ride the bus back home with, someone to talk to when the going gets rough.

A lifelong rival and a friend.

Maybe his future prom date. Raihan pushes that thought out of his mind.

As Raihan turns his attention to his food Leon looks up in a reminiscent manner, a glaze befalling those (pretty) eyes. "Primary feels like yesterday, but here we are in our last semester of secondary. Time flies, huh?"

He watches as Leon flips a strand of hair over his shoulder and Raihan easily rolls down the sleeve on his wrist, pulling off one of the extra hair bands he had taken to keep on his person. He placed it on the table.

"Here. Can't imagine how you eat without tying your hair up first, mate."

Leon glances at the hair tie before lowering his spoon and taking it gingerly with a hand, reaching up and tying his thick hair up in a high ponytail, hands moving deftly. He looks towards Raihan with a grin. "Like this?"

Seeing Leon's neck exposed like this had Raihan nearly falling off his seat. He recovers quickly by shoving a forkful of beans into his mouth, glancing away. "Yeah, yeah. Like that." He then adds quickly, breathlessly, "You look good with your hair up."

Leon glances up at his forelocks, fingering the fringe with a laugh. "You think so?"

"Yeah."

The shorter male then turns to give him one of those very Leon-esque smiles, all brilliant and intense and very much the boy that Raihan had grown up with (and yet at the same time someone different, someone that made his heart race and make his breath grow shorter with each passing moment).

"Y'know, Raihan? I think you look good with your hair down."

Raihan drops his fork with a cry. Leon merely laughs again in response, and the rest of lunch passes with Raihan hyper fixated on that comment.

"You did it on purpose, huh."

Raihan feigned ignorance as he waved at a group of basketball club members (acquaintances, there had been a period several years ago when they had seriously tried to recruit him due to his height). Piers, in response, scowls and tugs on Raihan's ear, the latter in response yelping as he is dragged suddenly backwards, his momentum broken as he glances over his shoulder at the shorter male with a frown.

"Now that wasn't very ace o' ya."

Icy eyes glint as Piers repeats himself, each word enunciated. "You did it on purpose."

Raihan puts on a lop-sided smile, blue eyes now moving to wave another greeting to Nessa (who in response sticks up a finger before jogging off to Sonia across the plaza). The courtyard was lively today as clubs mulled about at the end of the school day. The air had a crisp winter feel to it, and everyone was garbed in scarves, mittens, and their uniform winter coats. Galar always brought the cold with its winters, but at the same time that coolness brought with it promises to the end of the year, both metaphorically and physically.

And only three days remained until prom.

"Don't know what you may be referring to, mate." Raihan speaks through his teeth, shoving his hands into his coat pocket and Piers scoffs.

"Right, pushin' Gordie off on me like that.. He told me, ya' know, that the proposal was your idea." Piers hisses through his teeth, eyes looking wearily to the bouquet of flowers he held in hand (courtesy of the aforementioned home-ec king Gordie himself). It couldn't have been easy for the guy to find tulips out of season, but Gordie always had a way of making things happen.

"Really thought he was going to book it for you too. It's almost like you want to go with the pres' to prom."

At Piers' statement, however, Raihan nearly stumbles on a crack in the pavement, hands flying to the camera around his neck to save the device from a possible demise. The musician looks at him wryly, a certain brand of smug that had Raihan baring his teeth and hissing in an outrightly feral manner.

The yearbook student catches his footing, narrowly lifting his camera from jostling too hard against his chest as he gives a nervous laugh. He placed his camera tentatively back on his chest before shoving his hands into his jacket pocket as he contemplates with a frown. What was it about Leon that made Raihan fumble like a toddler?

"On the nose, ta?"

"What makes you say that?"

The music student grins as he shifts the flowers to his side, a malicious expression on such a thin face as he glances at Raihan through those long bangs. "Don't play dumb, yer dopey face was all sorts of obvious the other day. Don't think I didn't notice, mate ." This last word was emphasized with a thin painted-black fingernail flicking Raihan on the chin. 

As always, Piers was unnaturally sharp.

Raihan curls his lip, a sigh leaving his lungs in a breathy huff. "Okay, fine, I fancy him."

The musician shrugs, tugging the guitar case strap higher on his shoulder. "Tell me something I don't know."

"I can lick my elbow."

"Alright, now that's new."

Piers rolls his eyes at the smug guffaw that Raihan gives, a fist raising in the air over the small victory. "Hate that side of you, honestly, the competitiveness."

The yearbook student skips a step, turning to walk backwards and waving to another student (Bea, judo club, honestly a menace in her sport and was expected to go Olympic, waved back with a soft smile) before responding. "Leon likes it."

"What, your stupid headband?"

"No, and it isn't stupid. The competitiveness. I've given Leon a real run for his money before."

Piers ignores a huddle of girls that gawk at the bouquet in his arms before giggling to themselves, and Raihan notes his pale hand twitching (perhaps in an attempt to refrain from sticking the finger on school grounds). "Right, whatever you say."

Raihan stops for a moment, brows rising on his head. "I'm serious! Guess what, you probably don't know this since you transferred in late but I almost snagged the class rep position back in first year."

The other student walks past him, pale eyes not moving to even spare a glance. "Didn't run after?"

The taller male shrugs before continuing to walk backwards, tucking his arms behind his head with a sigh. "Nah, already got scouted up by yearbook at that point. Besides, Leon makes a good leader sorta type, and I ain't that." 

"Really? I personally think you'd make a good leader." A pair of hands rest on Raihan's shoulders, causing him to stop and look over his shoulder in surprise to see Leon behind him. The hands on his shoulders suddenly feel ten times heavier, and quite a lot warmer. He turns, his own hand raising in an apologetic gesture.

"Hey, didn't see ya' there, pres'."

Leon chuckles, moving a hand to rest on his hip as he dons a smile. "Yeah, that's why I stopped you, can't let our resident professional photographer-" here he leans in, whispering into Raihan's ear, "and my prom date-" he moves back with a glint in his eye, "break his back before the dance, hm?"

Raihan feels his face heat up (and this time, he knows he's flushing). How did Leon know he hadn't gotten someone yet?

Before the yearbook student can say anything, Leon turns to Piers and glances at the flowers he held in his arm (who was watching this ordeal with an exasperated brow raise). "Oh, guess Gordie made the move?"

Piers' wrinkles his nose, but there was something soft behind those icy eyes. "So I suppose everyone but me knew, eh."

Leon puts a sympathetic hand on Piers' shoulder. "Sorta, sorry mate." 

With that the council president lifts his wrist, checking the time on the wristwatch with a frown. "Gotta run, have a meeting with the dance committee in ten minutes. Just wanted to say hi since I saw you guys on the way. Till next time!" He raises a hand, waving to both with a smile and a quick goodbye before jogging back down the field. 

Once Leon runs out of earshot, Piers looks to Raihan with a smirk (who was currently contemplating how deep he should interpret what Leon whispered to him, the shell of his ear still tingling from that warm breath on this chilly winter day).

"When did you two get so close, hm?" A voice dripping with a teasing sardonicism.

Raihan reaches up to tug his headband over his head, turning away before starting to walk away. "Shut it."

The day before prom and the academy was in a whirl.

The hallways were decorated with spirit, the windows, cold and frosted with winter winds, steaming with the warm excited talk from mulling students. Teachers had long given up on reeling in their students, many of them now sitting resignedly at their desks as the same few subjects were thrown up among the young adults.

"Who did you ask?"

"Who are you going with?"

"Are you two dating?"

Like Raihan could answer those without bringing up ten more questions in response.

Raihan sits at his desk with a sigh, crossing those long legs and leaning back in his seat and tilting his head back to glance at the clock in an upside down look (eleven fifty, ten minutes till lunch). 

It couldn't be farther away, not with those golden eyes and purple mane that dance in his head with every passing moment he wasn't occupied.

The yearbook student is tugged back into the present as he is suddenly aware of a pair of hands that fold over each other in front of him, his eyes lifting to look at the face of a younger student (maybe a year or so younger, he had met her before around Leon's brother… What was her name, Yuri? No, Gloria). Her soft face is framed by shoulder-length brown hair, with a soft yet determined look in her eyes (she reminded him of someone else with a similar expression, and that golden gaze returns to his mind).

"Hey, Raihan! Sorry to disturb you from your daydream, but I was hoping to ask a quick question." The yearbook feels his stomach sink, but he puts on an easy smile nonetheless.

"Oh, yeah, go for it."

The girl pulls a seat from the neighboring desk (which was empty, that student long gone in favor of seating with his friends) and sits next to him. "So I notice you aren't really participating in the conversation around here, are you not going to prom?"

Raihan raises a brow before letting out a laugh. "Of course I'm going, someone needs to take photos for the album." He points to himself for emphasis. "It's me."

Gloria smiles, leaning forward, those brown eyes brilliant and all at the same time so full of a terrifying brand of hope. "Then… are you going with anyone? If not, how about going with me?"

Here Raihan feels his smile drop for a moment, his hand lowering from its previous position resting against his cheek. How was he supposed to answer that? He had every right to say yes to her, honestly. Besides, he wasn't necessarily tied into any obligation into his promise with Leon, it was all a game to see if they would get dates in the first place. But as he struggles with his thoughts that warm breath on that chilly winter day runs across his ear again, that whispery voice tickling the back of his neck.

My prom date . He had said that, huh?

Slowly, carefully, Raihan puts a hand on the back of his head, a sheepish grin now gracing his face as he articulates his next words with a sort of tact one could imagine from the school's social media manager (although honestly, it was more to concrete it to himself than for Gloria).

"Actually, I already have a date. Sorry, mate, but I'm flattered ya' thought of me."

Gloria sits up, a smile on her face. "Well you know, I had thought so. Still thought it was worth a shot, though!" She stands, dragging the chair back to the original desk it belonged to. "I'll tell Leon you said hi during the council meeting today, 'kay?"

As she walked away, Raihan scrambled in his seat, barely catching his balance from falling back with a foot, a hand raising to shove his headband over his face as the realization hit him. It really was no secret, their whole deal, huh. He moans, tilting his head back and placing the palms of his hands atop his forehead.

"I'm in so deep."

He spoke to no one in particular, but Milo across the row from him smiles and reaches over to pat his shoulder.

The day of prom and two boys stood across each other in the hallway, a knowing smile on their lips, the final bell for the final period ringing out throughout the halls. As the hallway fills with students vying to return home early to prepare for the dance Leon is the first to move, surging forward, making space for just him and Raihan in their own pocket of the world at the corner of the locker rows. Eyes the color of mountain lakes peers into an endless pool of gold. Leon arches a brow.

"So? What's your final status, dragon boy?"

Raihan snorts at the nickname, graced to him when they were just children and different (and yet so wholly the same, tied at the hip, always together despite the odds and ends). "Hey, I don't wear that dragon hoodie any more. Kabu talked my ear off last I did."

Leon leans in, that grin growing a shade more mischievous. "Answer me, Raihan."

That boy made from dragons and steel can't help but feel a smile returning on his lips (and he enjoys the flutter in his stomach, the sprouting plants of affection and endearment blooming in his chest that come out in effervescent bubbles, turning to soft words in his throat). "I'm going to prom with you, right?"

And those strong arms wrap around his waist, pulling Raihan in for a tight embrace as Leon lets out a strangled sigh, something akin to relief tied up in his laughs. "Oh thank god, I thought you'd have gotten someone by now!"

Raihan's hands hover for only a moment before coming to tangle themselves in those purple locks, the taller student leaning his chin against the top of Leon's head (and he couldn't care less at the curious eyes that glance his way, his attention entirely focused on this lionheart he held in his arms). "Hey, what's that supposed to mean? Tryin' to say you're happy I can't find a date, champ?"

Despite the teasing tone of his words there is still a beautiful ebbing warmth in his heart, which skips a beat as Leon looks up with an off-kilter smile. "You know what I mean."

Thin lips open into a toothy grin, blue eyes glimmering. "Then how about you do it right and proper then?"

Leon backs away before taking one of Raihan's hands and getting on one knee (and Raihan struggles not to guffaw at the ridiculous melodramatic nature and the now blatant stares that the two of them were attracting, hell, it was their last year). With a suddenly serious look, Leon looks to Raihan with a furrow of his brow.

"Raihan, will you be my date to prom?"

The taller student hums for a moment, pretending to think. "Will there be a limo?"

Leon gives a crooked grin. "You know, honestly? A party limo sounds like a good idea."

Long limbs were now the one to wrap around Leon's shoulder as Raihan leans down to embrace the other, his voice breathy and soft as he finally gives that one worded answer, and yet the word carried with it a lifetime of promises.

"Yes."

Raihan's mother tended to fuss.

While that very quality had been the very thing to lead her to success in the realtor market, it was nonetheless nothing short of the endearing sort of annoyance to Raihan.

"Look at that, there's still a wrinkle in the corner of your coat!"

" Mum , it's not that noticeable."

Yet she was already pulling out the iron from the hallway closet, plugging it with a tut and Raihan glances at the wall clock anxiously. Leon was supposed to come around in at least five minutes. He tugs on his blue coat (he had chosen the color to compliment his eyes, accordingly to his fans on social media), careful not to jostle the iron sitting haphazardly on the kitchen counter before checking himself in the mirror and nodding in approval.

His room smelled of hairspray and heating iron, but it was all worth it.

Raihan was tugging on his shoes when he hears the ring at the doorbell, and to his horror his mother was the one to reach the door first. He reaches the entryway when he sees him over his mom's shoulder (and inwardly thanking whoever is watching him up above that he got his height from his dad rather than his mum).

Of course, the moment he sees him he nearly trips over a folded corner of the rug.

Leon, dressed in a red suit that practically glows , with neat black trousers and that gorgeous long violet hair tied in an intricate, neat braid dusted with the falling snow. Raihan recovers with a clearing of his throat, moving past his mother (who glances at him with an amused snicker, she knew him much too well) to greet his date with a raised hand and lopsided grin, the very image of cool (and yet inside his heart was working up a steam, his chest unusually tight and warm).

"Hi, champ."

Leon looks up at him and almost immediately reaches out to run a hand through the loose curls that frame Raihan's head, meticulously styled in a side-swept manner (and Raihan can't bring himself to be annoyed that the thing he had spent hours on styling being touched by Leon, it was for him entirely after all).

"Wow, you look… good."

The yearbook student arches a well trimmed brow, reaching to tug on Leon's braid with a teasing manner in return. " Just good? Thought this deserves at least a cute, or definitely handsome territory."

Leon takes Raihan's hand, bringing it up to his face and pressing a soft kiss on the fingers.

"How about beautiful?"

Almost immediately the both of them turn red and Raihan's mother behind them chortles as she places a leather strap around Raihan's neck, lowering the device gently over his shoulder. "Don't forget your camera, sweetie. Try not to have too much fun."

The door closes on the two of them before Raihan can find the will to retort, for now still focused upon the absolutely stunning image of an embarrassed, red Leon. In a trance he lifts his camera and takes a photo, the snap pulling Leon out of his stupor to make a silly face.

"I better not see that in the yearbook."

Raihan lowers the camera, grinning. "It's for myself, the Raihan book."

Leon rolls his eyes but his smile is still brilliant, affection deep set in those eyes as he tugs on Raihan's hand and leads him to the driveway. Raihan takes a step before barking a loud laugh.

"Wait, I wasn't actually serious about the party limo!"

"Yeah, well, some friends pitched in. Better hurry, though, they're waiting inside."

As they walk up to the vehicle (long, sleek, and noticeably a very bright pink) the back window lowers to reveal a very excited Sonia (with a very tickled Nessa next to her, who was mid laugh).

"Good evening, lover boy, sorry to interrupt your snoggin'!" The ginger girl sings and Nessa doubles down in her throes, a muscular arm wrapping around her torso as she holds her stomach and a voice that sounds a lot like Milo reminds the swimmer to breathe.

Another voice yells out from the vehicle (one that Raihan instantly recognizes as Piers, no one else could carry that much sarcasm in their lungs). "Hurry it on up, will ya'? My performance is the second set, ya' know!" 

And almost instantly he hears someone who sounds like Bea remark that they still had thirty minutes until prom officially begins, and Piers makes a loud dramatic sigh (and Gordie can be heard comforting him with a chuckle).

Ignoring the teasing comments from Sonia and continuing jabbing remarks from Piers, Leon opens the door and gestures for Raihan to enter. "After you, dragon boy, I know you're weak to the cold."

Raihan flashes a toothy smile as he winks at the other before sliding in. "Thanks, champ."

The ride is only twenty minutes but it is loud and exciting. Raihan had never sung along to Roxie albums this loud out the sunroof of a limo before, but he supposed there were first times to everything. In the future when he looks through the photos on his camera he will realize many of the shots are just of open mouthed laughter and silly faces and obscene gestures but there was something so vivacious, so vibrant about this moment (and about the boy that is seated next to him, with the braid his mother had spent an hour to help him wrangle and the suit that turns out to be a rental but it looks so good on him Raihan can't help but suggest he buys it outright). 

By the time they arrive to the location they stream out of the limo in a tumble, Nessa with her arm around Sonia's waist, Gordie and Piers poking fun at each other, Bea and Milo grinning over a particular joke, and finally Leon, who offers his hand to Raihan and Raihan takes it with a wide beam.

As they walk towards the school gymnasium in the stream of other students, streams of misty breath floating up the air, the heat of flushed bodies dressed in suits and dressed and everything in between impalpable in comparison to the warm hand that sits in Raihan's hand (that squeezes excitedly every now and then) and there is something blooming in the dragon boy's chest as he peers at this gorgeous, absolutely brilliant boy, an impulse bubble that streams from his excited heart to his lips.

"Leon, will you go out with me?"

The other student looks at him inquizzicaly, a curious sort of expression that makes Raihan struggle to not take a photo. "What do you mean? We're going together to prom, Rai!" Spoken in such a matter-of-fact way with another squeeze of their hands and Raihan pulls him closer, the students around them moving out of their way much like a rock that stands in a running stream and splits the waters.

"No, like, in that way. You know, like… long term. Like…" Raihan struggles, his usual cool image now broken in an excited red fluster. "You know, like we go together to the movies and we hold hands and, uhm, go out to e-eat for dates and-"

This blabber of words is interrupted as Raihan feels soft lips land on his, and at first it is awkward and bumpy with teeth clattering into teeth but as Raihan leans down to meet him mid way they find that they fit together perfectly, like two puzzle pieces locking in place and Raihan is immediately immersed in his warmth, his generosity in giving him everything, his competitiveness in every little movement against his own lips. Him, and him alone and the world around them narrows to a little stage with just Raihan, Leon, and the falling snow that laces itself in those long lashes that frame golden eyes as the two of them pull away.

Leon snorts, lowering his head and giving a subdued laugh. "Things like that?"

Raihan places a quick kiss on the other's forehead, making a hum of agreement and giving a breath of laughter. "Yes, things like that."

An angry shout has the both of them turning to see the vice principal pointing at them from the building entrance, those stern, fiery eyes narrowed as he shouts over the heads of the other students. "No public displays of affection on campus!"

Raihan, in return, instinctively raises his camera and snaps a photo of the angry man. 

Kabu stiffens before beginning to sprint their way, arms pumping at his side as the students dash out of his way. Raihan makes a feral grin, that fang glinting as he glances at Leon, holding out his hand. "Say, ditch prom for a bit and run away with me?"

Leon takes it firmly, nodding, those golden eyes determined and shimmering in the lowlight of the snowy evening. "Gladly."

And they ran away together.