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"I hate every moment of this, I hope you know that."
Noé rolls his eyes, feeling as if they might fall out of his head at any possible moment. It's not like he asked for this - neither of them did - but Noé can't affect the free will of their performing arts teacher, Vanitas should be aware of that.
They're halfway across their highschool campus when Noé finally grows tired of Vanitas’ constant complaining; seriously what is his problem?!
"Listen, can't you shut up for just one second? I don't like this any more than you do. And yet here we are. You're acting like we have to spend the next month together! All we're doing is walking together to retrieve some props from the art classrooms, you don't have to say a single word to me." He huffs after his outburst, and sighs at Vanitas' aggravated expression.
But, for once, Vanitas doesn't say anything. He just ignores Noé and stomps ahead.
The thing with Vanitas and Noé is that they don't get along. It's a well-known fact amongst the cast of the musical and beyond. Half the crew doesn't even know their names but know not to ask them to do something together. Their teacher had also picked up on the tension, and must be some kind of sadistic maniac, because when she asked Noé and Vanitas to go all the way to the other side of campus together, the entire cast and crew grumbled and whispered amongst each other, knowing it wouldn't end well.
And they were right.
Noé is panting by the time they get to the top floor of the furthest building from the theatre studio. He'd lost Vanitas a few floors ago, the dark-haired teen skipping ahead, not a care in the world. Noé makes some comment about lungs of steel under his short breath.
He clutches the bannister at the top of the last set of stairs. And once he's returned to a normal breathing pattern, he looks down the hall for any sign of Vanitas, only to be unsuccessful. Noé shrugs his shoulders, not even caring if Vanitas had somehow fallen out of a window, and he walks down to the end of the corridor where the art rooms reside.
Noé isn't an art student. Aside from being in this year's school musical, he's never really been all that creative, he's more of a history nerd. So he's not often in the art classrooms; when he gets the rare opportunity, he likes to just wander around admiring all the art. Vanitas is probably doing fine on his own anyway, he's always going on and on about prefering to be on his own.
About ten minutes pass, with Noé walking around the large space and looking at all the paintings, sculptures, dresses and anything that was on display or drying in the corners of the room. He wants to look at everything all over again, but he suddenly remembers that he came here with Vanitas, and he's still no where to be seen. Noé heads to the small room tucked to the side of the classroom, where the theatre props are kept once they've been made. He's barely opened the door before vanitas' voice comes tumbling into his ears.
"Finally! What were you doing for the past fifteen minutes? You get lost or something? fall down the stairs? God, I hope so-"
"Shut up already," Noé interrupts and steps into the room, heading towards the box of headbands and flower bouquets, "I didn't realise it would take you-"
Vanitas scrambles up from his place on the floor, "Nononono, don't let the door-"
The door clicks as it closes.
Vanitas' long hair flies through the air as he whips his head around, "Are. You. KIDDING. ME?!"
The blonde blinks, watching as Vanitas' face forms an expression of deep anger and hatred. "What's up with your face?"
A loud, low growl of frustration leaves Vanitas' mouth and he strides over to the door, yanking the handle and slapping the wood. After a full twenty seconds of his tantrum, his head collides softly with the door and he rests his forehead there as he quietly says, "This door locks once it's closed. It can only be opened from the outside."
"WHAT?!"
~~~
16:23 - 12 minutes since Noé let the door close.
"Remind me why you didn't bring your phone." Vanitas grumbles, curled up in the corner closest to the door whilst Noé fishes through random boxes of props.
Noé sighs, "Unlike you, I don't have an unhealthy attachment to technology and a parasocial relationship with random celebrities," he looks over to see Vanitas purposefully not making eye contact, "And may I remind you, you also didn't bring your phone."
"Someone at rehearsals will realise we're not there eventually," Vanitas says, ignoring everything Noé just said.
~~~
16:48 - 37 minutes since Noé ruined their lives.
"And why even create such a door? I mean, surely it's a fire hazard or something - you know, like imagine there was a fire right now . What would we do? Burn in the flames without anyone ever knowing we were here? AND IN AN ART CLASSROOM TOO! So many toxic chemicals and flammable materials. If we ever get out of here I'm going to make a complaint to the principal, because there's no way this is safe at all. What if we're stuck in here all night? What if they shut down the entire school for the day and we're stuck here all night in the dark. What if-"
"Vanitas?" Noé says.
Vanitas looks over to Noé, who's now laying on his back, staring up at the ceiling, "Yeah?"
Noé turned his head and looked Vanitas right in the eye.
"Shut the fuck up."
~~~
17:39 - 1 hour 16 minutes since Vanitas failed to communicate effectively with Noé.
Vanitas paces the room, walking from the door to the opposite wall over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and-
"Please for the love of all that is good and righteous... SIT DOWN."
Vanitas opened his arms and fell forward onto Noé.
~~~
18:52 - 2 hours 29 minutes since the end of the world started.
Noé sighs as he puts away the last of the headbands he was trying on, "I knew I shouldn't have auditioned for the musical."
Vanitas looks up from where he's laying face down on the floor. He props himself up on his elbows and watches Noé mess around with his stark white hair.
"So why did you?" Vanitas asks.
"What?" Noé looks over to the other teen. They make eye contact.
Vanitas looks down at the carpeted floor, "Why did you audition? I won't believe you just got bored of your classes, I know you go hard for history and all that nerd shit."
Noé blushes with embarrassment, "I don't know, I overheard that someone I liked was auditioning so I went a little crazy and decided to do the same."
"Oh?" Vanitas grinned, "Do I know this person? Did she get a part?"
Noé rolled his eyes for what was probably the thousandth time today. He couldn't help but smile, even in the face of Vanitas' ignorance. " He did get a part, yes."
He almost laughs at the sight of Vanitas' eyes widening.
"Oh." Vanitas says softly. "That's... oh."
~~~
19:20 - 2 hours 57 minutes since Noé made a mistake.
"Favourite... flower?" Vanitas watches Noé from the other side of the room; the blonde is trying on floral skirts, pulling one over his jeans and twirling around in it for a few minutes before moving on to the next one.
Noé didn't hesitate with his answer, "Tulips. Specifically orange." He looks over to see Vanitas do about three sit ups before giving up and just laying down with his legs folded. "You?"
"Maybe... Viola Rebecca," he watches Noé again, "Favourite fruit?"
~~~
19:33 - 3 hours 10 minutes since they got trapped here.
"Does anyone else know you like guys?"
The both of them are sorting plastic cups into shape and size.
Noé hums, "I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm not exactly popular. There's not really anybody I could tell."
"You and Dominique are pretty close. I mean, before today I thought you two were a thing." Vanitas starts stacking some cups. Noé knocks them over and laughs quietly.
"Yeah but I think she already knows. She always points out guys she finds cute, like I'm gonna lean in and start giggling and gossiping."
Vanitas chuckles, "You mean you don't kick your feet over this guy? You don't twirl your hair and tilt your head to the side and stare shamelessly when you think he isn't looking?" Noé straightens his head and looks away. "You're telling me Noé Archiviste, highest grade point average out of everyone in the musical, science and history fanatic, collects bugs, doesn't get giddy like a schoolgirl when he has a crush? I don't believe it." Vanitas smiles widely at Noé's embarrassed expression.
"I don't have the highest grade point average out of everyone in the musical." Noé says softly.
Vanitas rolls his eyes exaggeratedly, "Right, and I'm not on our head teacher's radar for my attendance. We all lie to ourselves to get through the day, Noé."
They sit in silence for a moment, and Noé wills his face to cool down and his smile to diminish. The quiet stretches on for a long while.
"Who told you I collect bugs?"
~~~
19:51 - 3 hours 28 minutes since the door closed.
Vanitas is braiding his long, dark hair when he hears Noé yawn. He laughs, "You're tired?"
"No," Noé says defensively, "just bored."
"Right." Vanitas' grin is heard through his words.
"Surely rehearsals are finishing soon. Somebody has got to have noticed that we haven't been there for the past however long." Noé groans and stands up, stretching his limbs out and releasing tightness that has been building up from hours of sitting down.
The small room is starting to get dark, the lights set to sync up with the brightness of outside. Noé supposes the sun is setting.
"I think I've made my peace with the fact that I'm probably going to sleep in this tiny cupboard tonight. I just hope you don't snore, though I wouldn't be surprised." Vanitas says, letting the braid fall out and then starting again.
"Oh come on, we've told each other all our favourite things and I've come out to you, I'm sure snoring won't be the most embarrassing thing that's happened in here today." Noé smiles.
Vanitas wishes Noé would stop smiling, because if he doesn't, Vanitas isn't sure he could put up with the fact that once they get out of this room, they're going to go back to ignoring each other as much as possible and hating each other for every moment that follows.
He wants to change the subject, so he lets the first thing he can think of fall out of his mouth, "You gonna tell me who this guy you like is? Or do I have to work for it?"
Noé purses his lips, acting as if he's deep in thought. "Hm. Maybe fifty push-ups will earn you an initial."
Vanitas gawks at the suggestion, "Are you kidding? I'd rather never know, thanks."
"Well then." Noé says simply.
The dark-haired boy watches the other for a moment before speaking again, "How's two?" And he gets down and does two push-ups, because apparently he's going insane in this small, plain room with nothing but some headbands, skirts, bouquettes, cups, and the most interesting person he's ever met.
Noé laughs. Like a real, genuine laugh. Raw, loud, unflattering. He doubles over and clutches his stomach, seeming like he'd just witnessed the comedic act of the century. And although Vanitas is a little offended, he begins to laugh too, falling to the floor from the plank position and feeling his ribs struggle between gravity and the floor.
They don't even know for how long they laugh for, they don't even know how long they've been locked in this room for, but they laugh and they exchange eye contact that makes them laugh even more, until Noé is gasping for air and the laughter dies down because Vanitas is genuinely a little worried.
Once they've properly calmed down, Noé smiles. "Okay. Okay, I'll tell you."
Vanitas waits patiently, being silent for an amount of time that's probably a personal record, and just as Noe's mouth opens to form the syllables required to sound his name, the door opens.
"There you guys are!" Louis de Sade appears in the frame, "I was just coming to pick up some paintings but Dominique said you guys had been gone for, like, three hours or something."
Noé jumps up from the floor, rushing towards the door in a similar way to how Vanitas did three hours ago. Noé crushes Louis in a hug and smiles so bright it's almost blinding.
~~~
20:02 - 4 minutes since Vanitas realised Noé isn't so bad.
"Thank you thank you thank you! God, I could kiss you!" Noé exclaims in his relief, clinging on to Louis.
Oh. Vanitas thinks.