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For the past week attempt after attempt was shot down by Scara. Childe wanted nothing more than to get along with him but Scara just wasn’t interested, they mostly stopped fighting but Scara still held his walls up, forcing Childe out of his life. But there was actually a plan today.
As soon as classes ended Childe raced across the school and right to Scara’s class, when he finally did make it he was resting on the door frame and panting, a few beads of sweat falling down his neck. Him and Scara were the only people in the room.
Scara was hunched over his desk, peacefully asleep, presumably he didn’t hear the last bell ring. The sunlight leaking into the room gently fell on his soft face and suited him perfectly, he almost looked angelic. He was like an expertly crafted porcelain doll. Childe couldn’t resist reaching down to push his violet locks back and steal a better view of him. Immediately his heart warmed, he was developing a dangerous attachment to this boy who wanted nothing to do with him.
“Oh, Ajax, it’s just you.”
An ice cold feeling rang through his body as he threw himself around and stumbled a little on the desk now behind him, pushing it and waking Scara up.
“SHIT! Ah uh- You scared me, teach. Hahahaha…”
“I can see that… I was just coming back to wake him up myself so thank you.”
Childe pressed a hand to his chest and sighed, trying to calm himself. The teacher gave a vaguely concerned wave and headed down the hall, telling them to shut the door when they left. Childe jumped again as Scara grabbed him by the arm and glared up at him.
“What this time?”
“Scaramouche!”
Scara looked confused, using his face to say “Since when do you use my full name?” rather than his voice.
“Yeah?”
“I have something to show you, come on!”
He grabbed the other boy by the hand and led him all the way out of class, around the school and to a nearby park where a blanket was sprawled out on the grass. Snacks for two were littered over the blanket with just enough space left for the two of them.
After some convincing - pleading - Scara sat down next to Childe and secretly admired the available treats. Most of it was inazuman but the full line up was tuna sushi, sakura tempura, egg rolls, onigiri, and a mystery thermos. Scara felt his mouth water as he looked around the blanket.
“Well, does it look good?”
The purple haired boy glanced over to the side, a little embarrassed to give Childe a complement.
“Yeah, really good… how’d you find out I don’t like sweets?”
“Come on, nearly four years of butting heads and you think I haven’t learned anything about you?”
Scara pointed at the thermos, suddenly losing his usual scowl, was he actually relaxing?
“What’s in there?”
Childe happily picked up a bowl and poured out the reddish-orange broth inside, proudly displaying it to Scara, who’s hands softly accepted.
“A family specialty, we call it ‘A Prize Catch’! It’s supposed to be reminiscent of Snezhnaya but it’s kind of hard to pull that off with only the broth.”
He anxiously watched Scara sip from the bowl, his eyes widened for a split second before he drank more of it and began digging into the rest of the available food near him. He was silent but still left Childe happy just knowing he had let him close.
Scara slowly paused eating and confusedly stared at Childe, who was struggling with his pair of chopsticks, why’d he even bring them if he didn’t know how to use them?
“Did you skip to make this?”
“Oh, nonono, I got my family’s butler to put it together.”
Scara choked on his own spit in surprise, lightly smacking his chest to gain back his composure.
“Your butler? Your nickname fits you even more than I thought.”
“Oh, Childe? Yeah, I guess.”
Childe slowly continued his chopstick struggle, avoiding the topic of his name all together. Scara sensed he struck a nerve and regret slowly seeped in.
“Uh… Would you rather me call you Ajax?”
The redhead’s eyes quickly darted up and locked with Scara’s.
“You don’t have to...”
“If that’s what you prefer then I want to.”
Childe’s cheeks grew pink in his surprise.
“Ah.”
Childe… Ajax had been trying so hard to form a positive relationship with Scara, Scara knew this and although he wasn't entirely interested he was still willing to be some form of support for him.
“Wanna vent about it?”
“Well…” Ajax turned around and stared up at the afternoon sky, “I guess it just kind of sucks having everything about me as a person overlooked because I have money. People only started calling me Childe because they knew I’d buy them things.”
“Hmmm…”
Scara closed his eyes in thought.
“I guess that makes sense.”
His face tensed as he tried finding something to say but couldn’t for the life of him conjure something up. Not having the social skills necessary to comfort Ajax, he pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his chin on them, inching his hand towards the other boy. He softly changed the subject.
“No offense but can I teach you how to use chopsticks? You suck so bad.”
“Please do, I was hoping you’d offer!”
After a lacquerware lesson and some more light banter the sky was starting to darken and the boys packed up, Ajax deciding to walk Scara home. Time always passed so quickly when they were together.
Scara paused before turning his key in the door.
“It’s interesting how you prefer your birth name and I reject mine.” A bitter smile grew on his face, “Yet we’re both still addressed by what we hate. But whatever.”
He opened the front door and stepped in, quickly turning as Ajax grabbed his arm.
“Scara… I want us to be friends.”
Scara fiddled with the doorknob.
“I know.”
A hurt expression grew on the redhead’s face.
“Please?”
Scara scoffed.
“Well you’re begging so I guess I don’t have a choice.”
Ajax held himself back from excitedly jumping and instead lunged forward at his new friend, wrapping his arms around him.
“Can I get your number?”
“Sure…”
Scara scratched the back of his head as he hesitantly offered his phone to Ajax. The only contacts were his mom, sister, and a few other relatives. Still, Ajax just smiled and happily made himself his own contact. He beamed at Scara as he handed back his phone.
“I guess you were lying when you said you have friends that day in the counselor’s office.”
Scara’s hand sped back onto the door.
“Go home!”
He slammed it right in Ajax’s face, then his eyes popped up through the window at the top, glaring daggers at his friend. Ajax raised his hands in retreat and slowly started on his way back home.
Scara dropped from his tiptoes and gently locked the door. His cheeks were heating up. Embarrassed, he balled up his fists and retreated to his room, he had a lot of thinking to do. Was he seriously happy the guy that gave him nothing but trouble asked to be friends?