Archive of Our Own

It had been a few days after they arrived. 

Instead of doing the loop they were all used to—the constant killing, blood and torture—the entity that trapped them in their eternal damnation switched it to being a high schooler, which meant both sides had to go to school, even though they all graduated a long time ago. The Spectre got bored of watching them adapt to their new lifestyle, so why not make it harder for them? Why not send them back to school, but with a slight twist?

You may be asking, what twist?

Well…

Elliot was the center of attention lately, and everyone seemed to fawn over her. Her locker was filled to the brim with love letters, and she was always receiving love letters every single day. But she didn’t mind it really; if anything, it made her more confident, but it still felt strange to get attention quickly like that. Why not play along for a bit?

But, 1x? Oh,

They absolutely hated this. 

It wasn’t like they were envious about the love letters, compliments, and attention or anything. It was just that lately, they felt weird about Elliot. Something that was mixed with hatred. Each time they’d see the blonde with another student, they would get pissed. It was almost like it personally offended them.

It wasn’t only that. There was always commotion when Elliot did something. 

Whether it was joining a club or hanging out with her friends, her admirers found it cute when she did it as if it wasn’t a normal thing to do. Each time it happened, 1x1x1x1 was constantly there, and it made them want to throw a desk at someone.

They can’t wait to crush Elliot’s skull when they return to hell.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

School had opened its gates not long ago, cherry blossoms drifting in the sky as students walked into the building to start their day. The bell rang softly as they made their way to their assigned lockers, grabbing their belongings before heading off to class or stopping to chat with friends. Elliot sat on a bench with her friend Chance, one of the most popular students in school and her best friend. 

“Hey, Ells!” Chance smirked as their arm rested on Elliot’s shoulder, checking their makeup in their small mirror. “How’s that cookin’ club going?”

“Not bad! I made pasta yesterday, and the members seemed to like it.” Elliot grinned, proud as ever, as she absentmindedly twirled her bouncy curls around her finger.

“Or, they just like it since you made it,” they teased as Elliot’s face flushed mildly.

She swatted their arm away before standing up, holding her bag tightly. “It’s not like that, I’m just naturally good at pleasing people.”

Chance laughed, getting up as well and patting her lightly on her back. “Relax, Ellie. I’m just playing around with you.”

Elliot sighed as they started their walk, though a little smile peeked through. The two chattered while they made their way to the biology class. Students watched them as they passed—some whispering, some staring at them with obvious admiration, others clearly jealous. 

“When do ya think Builderman’s gonna find a way out of here?” Chance asked, fixing their lipstick as their braids fell in front of their face.

The shorter blonde thought for a while, zoning out before clicking back into reality. “I don’t know… he hadn’t updated us yet. Honestly… this is way better than getting killed.”

“Pft— you’re saying that because you’re popular, aren’t you?” They teased, tucking the lipstick back into their bag. “I’m kidding! Don’t hurt me,” they joked.

“Hey! I’m not that mean!” She shrieked, flicking their forehead.

As their conversation continued, Elliot couldn’t help but notice other students staring, but it wasn’t like she wasn’t used to it by now. She expected at least a few people to be staring while she walked by, fighting each other about who would get to her first. It got tiring really fast; rejecting people every minute wasn’t exactly easy.

Chance ruffled her hair before making their way to their class, blowing a kiss towards her. “See you later, Ells.”

Typical Chance…

Elliot waved, walking backwards as she walked into the room. “See you—”

Without even realizing it, she bumped straight into someone. “Ah—! I’m so sorry—”

She quickly got up to apologize, but the words were swallowed back down when she saw who it was.

None other than 1x1x1x1. 

The manifestation of hatred.

The one who killed her countless times before without any mercy—stuck their dual swords into her skull while smiling manically.

They both stood there in silence; everything around them seemed to pause for a moment. Elliot was already visibly sweating and trembling from panic and fear. The taller girl glared at her with lifeless eyes, which made Elliot whine just slightly. Despite being terrified, small bits of red bloomed across her face.

They

“Are you simply going to stare?” She snapped, tone cold and intimidating. 

Without saying a single word, Elliot averted her gaze before rushing her way to her seat as the class slowly filled with loud students, but she barely had time to settle down when another student then tapped softly and carefully on her desk. A brown-haired girl stood there nervously, a flower pin tucked in her hair.

In her hands, that Elliot couldn’t help but notice, was a folded card and a freshly picked flower. She raised a curious eyebrow, even though she knew what was coming next.

“Um… I like you, Elliot!” she stammered. “W-will you go out with me?” she confessed, sheepishly looking away from her.

Elliot smiled politely, looked at the girl, then at her gift before, thinking about the nicest way to word her thoughts before finally speaking. “I’m sorry. I already like someone else… I hope you’ll find someone who likes you even more than me.”

The girl’s eyes widened, and without another word, she ran out of the classroom, sobbing. 1x1x1x1 watched from their seat, scoffing as the weeping student ran past them. 

She likes someone else…

Not that it mattered.

But they found themselves wondering who it was.

Moments later, as the last bell rang loudly, the teacher entered the classroom, looking mildly confused after nearly colliding with the crying student in the hallway. Clearing his throat, he called everyone for attendance before starting his class. 

Biology was rather easy for Elliot; most subjects were. 1x1x1x1 felt the same way. If anything, they didn’t understand why they weren't the one teaching the class.

“Alright, everyone! Take out your books to page 102 and notebooks,” he instructed as the sound of turning pages echoed throughout the room.

“The tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests biome has warm temperatures and high precipitation year-round,” he started from the start of the page, making sure everyone was following.

As the lecture continued, Elliot tried to keep her focus on the words being written on the board, but she’d already learned all this years ago. Her pen slowed against the page, a big blob of ink forming on the paper, her words becoming uneven as they began to droop on the paper.

Around her, the class slowly started dissolving like she was watching the world crumple. Her pen fell on the ground, but she didn’t have the energy to pick it up either way.

The teacher’s words began to blur together, words melting into each other until it barely made sense. “...—cells… energy…”

Her eyes became lidded as she blinked once, then twice. Her head dipped just slightly, but she jerked it back up right away. She paused, then suddenly her cheek brushed against the desk. It was warm and comfortable as the noise of the classroom dimmed down into something distant, like she was already far away, almost like she was underwater.

Not even a few minutes later, a sharp sound cut through the haze.

Laughter, chairs scraping loudly against the hard tiles covering the floor. She flinched awake as she tried to understand what was happening around her. Her vision was blurry at first, her eyes struggling to focus as she lifted her head from the desk. For a moment, nothing made sense before it clicked.

Students were arguing way too fast for her to understand anything. 

Many students were surrounding her, all staring at her like she was a prize at an auction. 

“Elliot, pick me as your partner!”

“No, me!”

“Come on, Elliot!”

The voices overlapped in a messy blur as she rubbed her eyes softly, rubbing the sleep away from her eyelids. “What…?” she mumbled quietly.

Then it hit her. They had a project, and it was a two-partner project. These students all wanted the same thing.

To be her partner.

Still yawning and swiftly stretching, she put her notebook aside as she tried to sit up, still clearly dazed from sleep. Suddenly, someone grabbed her hands, squeezing them against theirs eagerly. “You should totally partner with me,” he said. 

She was rather confused, but the chaos was cut short when someone cut in. It wasn’t the teacher. 

It was 1x.

“Do you all not have common sense? Let her pick,” they snarled as students stepped back.

The male student who was squeezing her hands didn’t let go; he only got closer. “And who are you to be saying that?” he scoffed. “You aren’t her girlfriend or anything.”

1x1x1x1 glared at the student with pure disgust and hatred. Their hands formed into fists, getting ready to fight as some students gasped, some were encouraging it, and the teacher wasn’t paying attention at all, rather writing down instructions instead of paying attention to the unfolding chaos.

“Listen here, you little—”

“Okay! Okay!” Elliot quickly stood between them with an awkward smile.

“Let’s maybe… not fight,” she said, chuckling nervously. “We wouldn’t want to be in trouble over something as simple as this, right?” 

She started by writing the names of students who wanted to be picked on a piece of paper, then cut them into individual strips, and finally put them in a hat. “Let’s just do a random draw.”  

Students cheered, quietly hoping they would be paired with Elliot.

“Alright then! Whatever you say!” The male student agreed eagerly.

1x1x1x1 didn’t say a word but approached anyway. Without hesitation, Elliot closed her eyes before taking out a piece of paper, wanting this to end soon. Everyone got a bit closer to see who was picked.

You wouldn’t believe who it was!

The paper clearly stated that 1x1x1x1 was her partner for the project, and there was no going back. 

The Spectre really hated her, didn’t it?

“There’s— That’s not fair. Do it again,” he argued, glaring at the taller girl who was smirking.

They placed their hands on their hips with the most insufferable grin plastered onto their face. “Awh… is someone a sore loser?”

He cursed under his breath before walking back to his seat and staring at Elliot, upset that he lost instead of pairing himself with a friend as they wrote down notes.  

Elliot kept her gaze away from 1x1x1x1 as she stared down at her again. “Thank you…?” she muttered, confusion spreading across her face. She couldn’t exactly pinpoint why they could be so… mad about it. They usually didn’t care for anyone and hated everything that stood in their way, so why?

She didn’t say anything back; instead, she grabbed a chair and sat in front of Elliot. “Eyes on me, we need to work.” 1x1x1x1 snarled as their nails tapped on the desk.

“So, what’s it about again? I fell… asleep,” she whinced, fidgeting with her fingers while completely ignoring 1x1x1x1’s request—or rather demand.

Their eyes narrowed before they grabbed Elliot’s face firmly, her cheeks becoming red as they made sure she was looking at them. Elliot’s eyes widened as she gasped quietly. “Turn around, and I won’t be afraid to leave you with that other guy.”

Elliot shifted in her chair, fumbling with her notebook as 1x1x1x1’s gaze drilled into her. She could feel the weight of these lifeless eyes like a physical force pressing against her, making her fingers tremble as she tried to write down the teacher’s definitions from the chalkboard.

“So, biology project,” Elliot said, her voice a little too high-pitched. “Uh… do you have any ideas?”

They didn’t even glance at the notebook. 1x1x1x1 just leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, jaw tight. “Do it right. Don’t waste my time with nonsense.”

Elliot swallowed hard. “Of course, I’ll try my best.” Her heart was hammering so loudly from the pressure, and from how close they were, she was sure 1x1x1x1 could hear it.

They started organizing materials. Elliot scribbled notes and doodles, occasionally glancing up at the taller girl. Every time their eyes met, she felt her stomach twist, a mix of fear and something she couldn’t name. Her ears heated, and she quickly looked away, cheeks burning.

1x1x1x1, on the other hand, was clearly unimpressed. She kicked the chair hard enough to capture Elliot’s attention. “Focus,” she snapped, voice low and sharp. “Stop spacing out.”

“I’m focusing! I just want to make this good for our grade.” Elliot muttered, biting her lip hard.

Her nails trailed against the desk deliberately as if to mark Elliot’s mistakes before they even happened. Elliot kept sneaking glances at 1x1x1x1—how her brows furrowed, how her hands moved with irritation, the way she leaned over the project made Elliot nervous.

1x1x1x1 noticed immediately. “Stop looking at me like that,” she hissed, frustration dripping with every word. “I said focus on the project, not me.”

Elliot’s blush deepened out of embarrassment, but she couldn’t help the tiny smile that tugged at her lips. “Mhm…” she whispered.

Minutes passed in tense silence, the sound of students chattering around them filling the room instead. Elliot could still feel the taller’s eyes piercing into her neck, and she couldn’t help but blush slightly. She heard 1x1x1x1 scoff and mutter some insults each time she’d write a sentence, but she didn’t mind. It was how she always was, considering she was the creation of hatred. 

As the last minutes approached, the shorter girl tried to write faster, doodling small instructions and flowers around the page as she felt them get more irritated by the second.

Finally, 1x1x1x1 leaned over to read what Elliot wrote before handing it over to the teacher. She felt the heat of the taller’s proximity, smelled the faint scent of her perfume—whatever it was, it was intoxicating—and she had to bite her lip to stop herself from leaning closer.

“Your doodles are distracting,” she pointed harshly at the paper. “They’re unnecessary.”

“Yes… of course, I just—” 

Her eyebrows raised as she glared back at Elliot, eyes drilling into her head. “I don’t care. I don’t need an explanation.”

Elliot simply nodded quietly, her cheeks on fire as she looked away. 1x1x1x1 huffed, clearly annoyed, tapping her pen against the desk before returning the paper to Elliot. “You misspelled homeostasis, fix it.”

“Sorry, I’ll do it now,” she responded, nervously scribbling onto the paper.

1x1x1x1’s eyes narrowed before she sat back down in her seat. “Do it right this time, or else I’ll have to gut you.”

Elliot’s breath hitched because she knew if 1x1x1x1 said she was going to do something, it wasn’t an empty threat. Her eyes stayed glued to the paper even though she wanted to see if the manifestation was at least content with her work now.

And 1x1x1x1? She was still furious. And yet, somehow… she couldn’t stop herself from watching Elliot fumble under her gaze, from feeling that tug of frustration—something more complicated than mere annoyance.

The bell rang before they could even finish their second sheet. Elliot jumped in surprise, seemingly so focused on the work that she didn’t even realize that class had ended, but before she even had time to get up, a familiar voice rang out from the corner of the classroom, rapidly approaching Elliot. She was then hugged tightly from behind. 

A strained but cheerful voice talked in a lovestruck manner. “Ellie! You did so well in class this period. Surely the Spawn will bless you!”

It was Two Time. One of the survivors who was also stuck in damnation with her. 

Two Time glared at 1x1x1x1 as they spotted her, hissing quietly before their attention was pulled back to Elliot. “Mm. Thank you, Two Time.”

“Of course! Anything for my dearest!” they purred, playing with Elliot’s hair softly as she stood up.

They handed Elliot’s bag over as they began to leave the class together, heading to their next class. Two Time turned around while Elliot was distracted and stuck their tongue out at 1x, then quickly resumed talking with her. 1x1x1x1’s eyes narrowed sharply before they walked away.

Two Time’s grip was tight on Elliot’s hand as they ranted about the deity they worshiped deeply. The blonde nodded faintly while giving them a soft smile. They quietly squealed as their grin widened. Elliot never really understood anything they said about the Spawn, even though she still nodded to keep them happy. They wouldn’t want to go through what happened to Shedletsky when she confronted them about their fake deity…

A sudden question snapped her out of her trance. “Ellie, do you enjoy literature class?” they asked as their ears twitched slightly, tail swinging quickly behind them. 

Elliot glanced at them before scratching the back of her head. “I mean, I don’t mind. I’d say it’s fun!”

The cultist turned around, playfully sulking, “I find it hard.”

“Why don’t you join the literature club with Builderman and Noob?” she suggested, pointing at the flyers. “I’m sure they could help you improve.”

Without a second thought, they agreed, praising Elliot for her amazing suggestion she had given them. Their arms wrapped around her neck tightly, pressing their face into her neck as they giggled.

Their interaction was cut short when they arrived in front of their next class. 

The door was already open when they walked in. Two Time made their way with Elliot happily to their seats to wait for the meantime. Instead of sitting, Two Time continued to rant as they played with their friend’s curls carefully while Elliot looked at the variety of books there were on the bookshelves, counting them absentmindedly.

Their hands worked precisely as they made Dutch braids in Elliot’s hair, then pulled it up into a messy bun. “…I used to braid someone’s hair like this,” they muttered. “Though I can’t pinpoint who. If I can’t remember, then the Spawn must not want me to.”

Elliot’s eyebrow raised. She knew who it was already. Two Time’s late partner, now a killer in purgatory. They’d talked about him to her during their breaks, often tearing up or becoming quiet after. But, when they arrived here… it seemed like Two Time forgot him completely. Their unsolved tension and longing had just magically vanished.

Elliot still remembered it clearly as a day. 1x1x1x1 asking Two Time about Azure’s whereabouts. They responded, confused, “Who is this 'Azure' person you’re talking about?” Before their attention drifted back to Elliot as they grabbed onto her sleeve, purring softly.

Another weird change about them was that they seemed to be a… cat. New fluffy black ears were added to their hair, along with a cat tail, replacing their old, bony tail. They acted more clingy, which was new since they weren’t back in damnation. Their personality changed completely, well, maybe not, but they seemed more cheerful and energetic. Less creepy in a way, but they still had the same unsettling smile.

“Times,” Elliot said, interrupting them. “Can you… tell me more about that person? Like how they look? What do you remember about them?”

Their expression flickered in a fit of sadness, and their smile faltered slightly before they went back to their cheery demeanour. “Of course I can. Anything for you, Elliot!”

“Hm… he had long brown hair that cascaded over his shoulders. His laugh was soft and comforting, always talking about… flowers? I believe. He was kind, gentle and everything I wasn’t. I always hated him for that. But I seemingly still admire hi—” Their little rant was soon cut off with a sharp headache. The words died down in their throat and the bell rang as they sat back down quietly.

It was most likely the Spectre’s doing. It probably didn’t want Two Time remembering too much, or at all, so it inflicted pain on them. Elliot hated to see them silenced like that, but what could she do about it? This was the only actual long break they’ll ever get, so Elliot didn’t want to be upset. She’d mostly get punished. 

Something about her being the most “emotionally fragile” and “pleasing” out of all of its victims. Just thinking about it made her nauseous. 

Her name was called on louder, which snapped her back to reality. Everyone was staring at her, and the teacher looked concerned. Her cheeks flushed out of embarrassment before she quietly muttered, "...Present.“

The second period was always quieter than the first.

Literature class had a slower rhythm to it—pages turning, pencils scratching softly against paper, and the occasional chair creaking when someone moved in their seat. Elliot sat near the middle of the classroom, the assigned novel open on her desk. The teacher had given everyone time to read the next chapter silently before discussing it.

For most students, it was easy.

Except for Two Time, it wasn’t. 

They weren’t the best at reading. 

At all in fact.

In the Church of Spawn, where they were raised, Amarah—their mentor and parental figure—only taught them certain words and how to read specific books. But they were always those who needed to learn more about the Spawn. Amarah always told them stories were a waste of time, and reading something that wasn’t even true wouldn’t help them in life. As a result, they never learned how to read anything other than that.

But, recently, in the endless hell they were in, Builderman and Noob had tried to teach them how to read somewhat. They often borrowed books from Dusekkar to practice with, and from what she heard, they were improving pretty well, but they still had difficulty pronouncing words and reading long books.

So, here they were, sitting beside Elliot and staring down at the page with intense focus that didn’t match the slow pace of their progress. Their fingers traced the page as they quietly tried to piece together the sentences. They groaned silently before their head dropped to their desk, defeated.

Elliot noticed after a moment. “…Hey,” she whispered gently.

Two Time stiffened slightly, then glanced at her with dusky pink cheeks. “Yes?”

She tilted her head towards their book. “Are you stuck?”

Two Time looked away slightly, ashamed of how stupid it sounded. “I–I suppose I n-need some assistance.”

“Could you… help me?” They asked quietly, their ears flushing pink.

“Of course, I can.”

Elliot leaned over their desk, adjusting her hand to guide them. “Okay, start with this sentence, see how the words sound together,” she pointed carefully, trying not to hover too much.

Two Time nodded slowly. “Mhm.”

From the back of the room, 1x1x1x1 sat slouched, arms crossed and jaw tight. Her eyes tracked Elliot like a hungry predator. She muttered under her breath each time she thought the blonde made a mistake.

“Tch… why are you bending over like that?”

“Hands too close, she’ll knock the book over.”

“...And standing like an idiot while explaining. Always too casual.”

Elliot, completely unaware of the commentary, guided Two Time through a few more words. “See? That’s how you sound it out—good! Now try the next line.”

They blinked, grinning like a proud child from the praise, carefully pronouncing each word. “Th–the story… begins in… the night of— purgatory…?”

Elliot smiled encouragingly. “Yes! You got it!” She lightly adjusted her fingers on the page. “See? You’re learning so fast.”

“She’s praising too much. It’ll make them softer than they already are.” 1x1x1x1 scoffed.

Two Time hesitated on the next sentence, staring at the book like it had personally offended them. “I can’t read this…”

“Here, sound it slowly. You know this part, remember what I taught you yesterday.” Elliot leaned in closer, guiding their hand again.

After a few tries, Two Time finally read the full line correctly, quietly giggling as they hugged Elliot. “I did it!” 

“You did it! Great job!” She sat back down, smiling at their impressive progress.

She had no idea that every little compliment she gave Two Time slowly caused 1x’s chest to tighten.

Two Time flipped to the next page, whispering. “Thank you for your patience,”

Elliot’s hand brushed against their for a moment when she was adjusting the page. Her cheeks warmed at the contact, though she kept on focusing on the reading. Elliot’s heart skipped a beat, but she didn’t comment. 

Just smiled at Two Time.

“...You’re doing amazing. Keep going.”

And all the while, 1x sat there, muttering critiques at Elliot, voice filled to the brim with irritation, but her gaze never left Elliot. Her chest was burning with a heat she refused to acknowledge.

Her pen tapped quickly against her notebook as she continued to murmur insults despite the dirty looks a few students gave her. “They’re so slow.”

Neither Elliot nor Two Time could hear it, both focusing on the book as the classroom carried on around them, papers shuffling while classmates spoke in hushed tones as they gathered their belongings for the next period.

1x didn’t look away once.

And then the bell rang.

Sharp and final.

By the time the noise faded into chatter and movement, Two Time could read the entire page with no help. They snickered, clearly pleased with themselves, and leaning into Elliot, holding her close—too close—as their noses almost brushed. 

“Thank you, Ellie. You’ve helped me so much! May the—”

Out of nowhere, 1x stood in front of them, scowling at Two Time with irritation and disgust. “Have some public decency? Take this somewhere else. Not a single person wants to see this.”

Two Time leaned into Elliot even more to provoke the taller girl, eyes narrowing. “You’re simply jealous since I’m closer to Ellie than you are,” they smirked.

“Why would I be jealous of you for being close with her?” She snarled back at them aggressively.

They smirked, fingers tightening around Elliot’s arm like a clingy cat and their owner. “I see the way you look at her. You like her.”

“I don’t like her. I cannot express that emotion, you vermin,” she hissed, pealing Two Time’s finger off of the blonde’s neck. “You’re walking with me to the next class.”

Elliot looked up, confused, cheeks tinted pink. “Me? But why—”

1x1x1x1 wrapped her arm around Elliot’s waist in a swift motion, making sure Two Time saw it clearly. “Why not? Can I not walk with a friend now?” she whispered loud enough for Two Time to hear how the words rolled off her tongue effortlessly.

Gasping, Elliot turned bright red, caught off guard by 1x’s hand placement. She stared at the warmth placed low on her waist, spreading warmth all over her body. They were dangerously close, and Elliot was gripping tightly at her bag, already on the verge of exploding, her heart doing strange flips each time it shifted just the slightest.

She quietly nodded, gaze pinned to the ground. “U-um… I’ll see you in a few, Two Time.”

Two Time’s smile dropped immediately, then quickly forced a smile once again, silently glaring at 1x1x1x1 before leaving with their book, leaving the two girls alone.

The two walked in silence to the cafeteria, and eyes were obviously poking at them, suddenly interested in what was happening between them. Elliot kept glancing at 1x1x1x1’s warm hand resting on her waist.

She finally mustered the courage to say something, keeping her eyes on 1x’s hand placement. “Since when was I your friend? I mean— you’ve always been so hateful towards me, so—”

“Since now. Is that a problem?” She asked.

Elliot’s cheeks darkened, eyes brightening from the fact. “No! I mean– no, there’s nothing wrong with that,” she couldn’t help but smile a bit.

The taller girl held the door open for the blonde, earning a quick “thank you.” They waited in line, side by side, hands impossibly close. Elliot was distracted on her phone, texting somebody.

Chance 🐇🎲

12:02 PM

Chance: where r u?? 

Elliot: I’m in line for food rn ^^

I’ll be there soon, dw

12:05 PM

Chance: ur in line with the TSUNDERE??

both of yalls hands are PRATICALLy brushing

Elliot: so I’m uh

kinda friends with her

Idk?

Chance: 😦

twin what

Is that why time is upset

they’re saying that 1x took u 

Elliot: Could you tell them I’m sorry :c

Tell them I’ll get them a cookie as well

Chance: they said it’s fine 

and that they want a chocolate chip cookie

can i have a cookie too 

Elliot: no.

Chance: please 

Elliot: I’m not paying for you again

Chance 🐇🎲 sent Elliot 100$ 

Elliot: …

Fine

I’ll get you it

But was the 100 necessary?

Each cookie costs like… 2.25$

Chance: mehhhh

Im feeling generous 2day

Elliot: Don’t do that again, idiot

but

Thanks :D 

1x1x1x1 nudged Elliot, faces almost pressing together when she looked back up. She shrieked, eyes blown wide, and mouth agape. The taller girl, seemingly unbothered by how close they were, simply pointed in front of them. 

“Ah— sorry! I got a bit distracted,” she apologized calmly, even though in her mind, she was actively freaking out.

She ordered a pizza, four cookies, and four more drinks. She was about to tap her card before 1x1x1x1 beat her to it. 

“Don’t even think about paying me back,” she whispered, holding Elliot close to her again, then merely scrolling through her phone, unbothered, while Elliot was silently mortified. 

Gasps erupted around them. 

She nodded quickly, almost dropping her tray when 1x’s arm tightened around her again. She was still red from the whole cafeteria witnessing that interaction. 

The students around just had to see it. The whispers around them only got louder as they walked away from the line. The room buzzed with trays clattering and chairs scraping across the floor. 

“Did you see that?” 

“1x paid for her!”

“Are they dating??”

“Elliot doesn’t even let anyone pay for her!”

Every now and then, Elliot caught someone staring at them.

Mostly at 1x’s arm around her.

Elliot tried very hard to pretend she couldn’t hear any of it, but it was inevitable. Her cheeks were warming with each comment, gaze and whisper. 

Chance, Two Time and Noob were sitting at their usual table near the windows. The gambler spotted her and immediately sat up straighter, grinning as they had just witnessed the most entertaining drama of the year. Noob sat beside them, stacking bracelets up her arm like she was organizing them while chatting about a new story idea.

Two Time sat stiffly across from them, taking small bites of their tomato soup.

The moment they spotted Elliot, their eyes brightened until they noticed who was attached to her hip. Holding her close like she was their property.

Chance’s eyebrows shot up so high they nearly disappeared in their hair. 

“Well, well, well,” they hummed. “Look who finally decided to show up.”

Elliot hurried over and set the tray down on the table. Her gaze shifted immediately to Two Time, then she smiled at their attempt to finish half their soup.

“Two Time, I got the chocolate chip one you like!” She said quickly, already reaching for one of the cookies.

Two Time perked up instantly.

They exclaimed warmly, holding out their hand. “Thank you, Ellie!”

Elliot placed the cookie into their palm, but for a moment, their fingers brushed.

Then it lingered.

Two Time smiled faintly as their cheeks turned red, their fingers curling slightly around Elliot’s hand as if to hold it there a second longer.

Elliot didn’t even realize; she was too busy apologizing. “I’m really sorry I disappeared earlier, I didn’t mean to—”

Before she could finish her sentence, a hand slid between theirs. 1x grabbed Elliot’s hand and pulled it away, intertwining their fingers together firmly. The motion was quick and deliberate.

Possessive.

Elliot was speechless, staring at 1x with annoyance but something else she couldn’t name.

Two Time froze, eye twitching. 

1x finally looked up from her phone, eyes half-lidded with clear irritation as she leaned her head against Elliot’s shoulder like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Her fingers tightened slightly around Elliot’s.

“Don’t touch what isn’t yours,” she muttered flatly, loud enough for the entire table to hear. 

Chance choked on his drink, Noob gasped so loudly she nearly dropped her bracelets, and Two Time’s smile slightly faltered.

Their eyes narrowed, smiles widening. “Since when was she yours?”

“Since the first time I saw her. You should know that as the creation of hatred, I’ll get what I want, when I want it,” she scoffed, tapping on her screen before scrolling again. 

Her head lowered onto Elliot’s shoulder casually while keeping a firm, possessive grip on Elliot’s hand.

Elliot, meanwhile, looked like she might combust; her entire face was red. She stared at Chance, a look that would say please, help me… 

Chance leaned forward, resting their chin in their hand as they chuckled. “You’re on your own for this one, Ells,” he whispered.

Noob giggled, chewing on her cookie. “Like it’s straight out of a fanfic…”

Elliot groaned quietly.

Two Time poked at their soup, pouting dramatically, clearly not impressed by Elliot’s newfound pairing with 1x1x1x1.

Should’ve been me.

A shadow fell across the table. A tall, black-haired girl with striking purple highlights and a nightshade tucked behind his ear walked past, then stopped behind 1x.

“Hey, X.” His voice was deep, and she wasn’t up for any nonsense, and suddenly, Two Time’s face scrunched up like they were trying to figure something out.

They didn’t know why, but they felt they had seen her before. Many times. And it wasn’t their first time seeing her. 

Maybe they saw her in a dream? 

1x didn’t look up, her head still resting on Elliot’s shoulder. “What is it now, Azure?”

Azure?

They’d heard that name somewhere before…

But where?

“Nothing. I just… figured I’d see what you’re doing here,” she explained, staring at her nails.

“You didn’t warn us that you wouldn’t sit with us.”  Her hand was now placed on her hip, the other pressing against the table.

“The cat almost jumped Noli, they signed too fast, we couldn’t understand what she was trying to say for a while. She thought you died or something.”

The manifestation sighed and passed her card over. “Buy her something to eat then. Tell her it’s a sorry gift, I guess.”

“Mhm, thanks.” 

Two Time and Azure’s gaze met, and the cafeteria seemed to pause with them. They realized they were staring, their faces turning red, and their head wings covering their face.

Without another word, Azure stared at them for a second and scoffed under his breath, giving them a dirty look.

They paused, eyes narrowing at the gesture before scowling at her as she walked away. Instead of staying stuck on the interaction, they continued eating their tomato soup silently.

“Um… Elliot?”

Everyone looked up—a student stood there nervously holding a small folded note, clearly blushing from head to toe.

She blinked, then flashed a warm smile. “Oh— hi?”

“I was wondering if maybe you wanted to sit with us today…? Or maybe later we could—”

1x’s chair scraped loudly against the floor; the sound cut straight through the cafeteria.

She stood slowly, eyes cold. “Don’t you see her sitting already?” she said sharply.

The student stiffened. “I— I just thought—” 

“Well, you thought wrong.” 

The words dropped like a blade. 

Chance covered her mouth, barely containing their laughter. Noob’s eyes were huge, and Two Time leaned back slightly, watching the situation unfold as they quietly drank the soup.

The student looked at Elliot helplessly. “I just wanted to ask her—”

1x stepped closer, quietly. Not yelling, but the tension around her was unmistakable.

“She's busy,” she said flatly.

Elliot quickly waved her hands. “Ah— I'm really sorry!! I'm eating with my friends today, maybe another time?”

The student nodded eagerly and left, clearly deciding that they didn't want to aggravate 1x anymore.

Silence lingered for a moment around the table.

Then Chance leaned forward with the biggest grin imaginable, quietly chuckling under his breath.

“Wow,” was all he said.

Noob whispered dramatically. “That was the most protective thing I've ever seen.”

Elliot buried her face in her hands as 1x sat back down, pressing her head against Elliot’s shoulder once again.

“I'm never showing my face again,” Elliot muttered, embarrassed.

Elliot leaned a little closer to 1x, hoping for a distraction. The taller girl’s hand still rested lightly on Elliot’s shoulder, and her phone was in one hand, but she didn’t even glance at Two Time and their new obsession. Instead, she tightened her grip on the blonde’s hand, muttering something incomprehensible.

“What?” 

Another quiet mutter.

“1x, I can't hear—”

They scoffed, tapping on their phone again and going completely silent.

Soon enough, the bell rang. Multiple students were already leaving while chatting with friends. Chance shot a quick wink towards Elliot before leaving.

“Bye, sugar! I'll see ya later, alright?”

Elliot's smile brightened as she waved him off as well. “Mhm! I'll be waiting at the front for you.”

Two Time finally snapped out of their confused, uncertain trance when they heard the bell ring, quickly picking up their bag and heading to their next class as they said their goodbyes to Noob and Elliot.

Noob was the last to leave, silently picking up their leftover bracelets scattered on the table as they thought about a new story idea.

“Bye, Ellie. Good luck with your guard!” They giggled as they ran away.

She sighed, picked up her bag and slowly got up, careful not to startle 1x. 

Her bracelets rattled as she stood up, taking the last bite of her cookie before she started her walk to her next period.

A hand suddenly grabbed her.

Firm but not anywhere near painful. 

As if the person gripping onto her tried their best not to inflict pain on her while getting her attention.

“You're walking with me to the next class.”

Her eyes widened momentarily, then softened as she giggled. A pure sound. “Of course. You didn't have to grab me, though—”

“Don't tell me what to do.” 1x hissed, intertwining their fingers together.

Elliot smiled. “Okay.”

The two started their walk to the next period, making their way through the hallways filled with students and teachers, finding their way to the assigned classes they had.

“Keep up,” she snapped, not even glancing back.

Confusion struck her face before shrugging it off, walking at the same pace.

By the time they made it to the gym hallway, the noise had dimmed down, but echoes were still heard in the gymnasium. The air smelled faintly of rubber flooring and cleaning supplies.

“...P.E? Already?” she whispered.

1x scoffed. “Keep up with your schedule next time.”

Elliot puffed her cheeks slightly. “I am keeping up…”

1x shot her a look.

She immediately looked away, correcting herself. “...trying to.”

A few students passed by them, glancing then doing double takes at their still-joined hands. One of them started whispering something in their direction, making sure they heard. 1x’s gaze snapped toward them so fast it was almost inhuman.

They shut up instantly, quickly walking away with their friend group. “Pathetic,” she muttered.

Elliot let out a tiny, nervous laugh before they reached the locker room entrance.

For a moment, neither of them moved, and their hands were still intertwined. Elliot glanced down at them, then back up, cheeks faintly pink.

“...Um.”

1x didn’t let go.

Her thumb brushed against Elliot’s fingers absentmindedly, like she wasn’t even aware she was doing it. But then her expression hardened again.

“You’re slow,” she said flatly. “Don’t make me wait outside.”

Elliot blinked, confused but amused. “You’re going to wait for me?” she asked, a little too smug.

“Don’t misunderstand! I just don’t trust you to get distracted.” The blush forming on her face told the other otherwise.

Elliot smiled warmly, pushing the door open. “Okay, if you say so.”

That seemed to irritate 1x again. She abruptly let go of Elliot’s hand, turning towards the locker room. 

“Five minutes,” she snapped. “If you’re late, I’m leaving you behind.”

She nodded quickly. “I won’t be late!”

1x paused for half a second, then walked in without another word as Elliot stood there for a moment longer, staring at her hand.

It still felt warm.

Her heart fluttered, and she pressed her fingers together slightly, like trying to hold onto the feeling for a while longer. 

“I’m definitely not making it in five minutes,” she whispered to herself, smiling.

She hurried into the locker room.

It buzzed with noise—lockers slamming, voices echoing, shoes squeaking against the tiled floor. Elliot stepped inside, clutching her bag close to her chest.

She wasn’t so used to this.

Not after she’d grown familiar with how it worked back in damnation.

Back in purgatory, there was no such thing as locker rooms or changing in the same rooms. No crowds, no being surrounded by people in such a casual, vulnerable setting, considering they all had their own rooms with privacy.

But she’d gone through this at school already, so it wouldn't be that big of a deal.

She swallowed, moving towards an empty locker.

As she started changing, she felt it. 

A pair of eyes staring at her from nearby.

At first, she thought she was imagining it. Maybe her paranoia was getting worse since there were lots of people in one space.

But then she glanced up before removing her skirt, she noticed a girl across the room was staring at her.

Not subtly, just… staring.

Elliot froze for a second, fingers tightening around the waistband of her skirt.

The girl didn’t look away. Instead, she smiled faintly and made her way to Elliot.

“You’re Elliot, right?” she asked casually.

She nodded slowly, fingers tapping against the bench nervously. “Yeah…?”

“I’ve seen you around,” the girl said, leaning against a locker next to her. “You’re pretty popular.”

“Aha… I guess?” Elliot laughed awkwardly, taking off her bracelets slowly.

The girl’s gaze lingered a bit too long. “You’re also like… really cute,” she whispered smoothly.

Elliot blinked as her brain short-circuited for a second. “O-oh—thank you!”

Before the conversation could go any further, a locker slammed shut behind them. 

Loud and sharp.

Both of them turned as 1x made their way to them.

Her expression was… warm?

A bright smile (or what it looked like) was painted onto her face.

“Hm? Talking with a friend instead of changing?” She asked, amusement spread across her face.

Elliot was rather confused. 

Was the manifestation of hatred really capable of being… nice? It seemed as if a switch flipped in their brain that made them the manifestation of kindness.

Elliot sat there frozen before she managed to blur out a few words. “I—I’m almost ready!”

The other girl raised an eyebrow. “We’re just talking, you know?”

“I didn’t ask,” 1x whispered coldly in their ear, still smiling.

The girl hesitated, then scoffed lightly, clearly not wanting to leave. 

“Whatever,” she muttered.

Elliot quickly put on her shorts and shirt before she stood up, cheeks warm, heart racing again for completely different reasons. 

“I’ll talk to you later, Elliot,” she backed off, waving goodbye.

1x got closer to her without Elliot noticing, too busy putting her jewellery in the locker, before whispering once again in the girl’s ear, grip deadly on her arm, already causing a deep bruise. 

“If you don’t stay away from her, I’ll suffocate you and snap your neck.”

She froze, staring at 1x, whose smile was far too wide for someone who had threatened to kill someone. 

Without thinking twice, she walked away quickly. 

1x walked over to Elliot, stopping right in front of her as her eyes scanned Elliot up and down briefly—checking, judging, something unreadable.

“You take too long,” she muttered. “But it hasn’t been five minutes yet, so I suppose you can do something right for once.”

Elliot beamed, “Sorry, and thank you—”

1x reached past her, grabbed her bag and handed it to her while averting her gaze. 

“Next time,” she added quietly, leaning in just slightly, “don’t entertain people like that.”

She blinked. “…Why?” she asked softly.

1x’s eyes narrowed. “They’re annoying,” she spat, “and look at you too much.”

Elliot’s cheeks flushed. “Oh?” 

The taller girl turned away immediately. “Let’s go. I don’t want to be late because of you,” she snapped, but there wasn’t as much bite to it.

She smiled a bit to herself as she followed quietly.

They sat on the benches, hands slightly brushing but enough to notice each other. The teacher did the attendance as always before explaining the game they were playing.

Volleyball. 

One of Elliot’s favorite sports, especially during the summer.

Her smile brightened as he reminded them of the base rules and formed equal teams.

Two Time sat on one of the benches, waiting intently, considering they weren’t allowed to play volleyball anymore.

Why?

They attacked a student with their dagger after losing, claiming that the Spawn would love to cleanse a cocky winner.

So, they sat on the benches, observing the game.

Students cheered and shouted, moving quickly across the court to their assigned groups. Elliot adjusted her headband, glancing at her team.

And of course, 1x was on the other side with her arms crossed, jaw tight, eyes already pressing into her like she could see through her from across the court.

Students’ shoes squeaked under the polished gym flooring while the ball flew in the air, bouncing once again when it made contact with someone’s hands. Every few minutes, the teacher would whistle and switch up the teams, points resetting each time.

Elliot’s team had the most points, always pulling off a crazy trick before hitting a point at the last second. It irritated 1x, but she didn’t say much about it.

A loud whistle made everyone freeze in their tracks, everything silent except for the ball bouncing away.

“Rotation! Team Elliot against team Azurewrath.”

The game started swiftly, with Elliot keeping up easily. She was fully immersed in the game, her movements precise until some point. 

She dove for the ball, certain that she could bounce it over to the other team and score a point, but her calculations were slightly off.

Her face met the ball as she fell onto the ground.

A sharp pain, then a warm trickle of blood came running down her nose.

The gym went quiet for a second too long, worried eyes shifting towards her as she staggered back, holding onto her nose.

Her teammate helped her up, bringing her to the bench to take a break. She sat next to Two Time, who seemed a bit lonely, starting a small conversation with them.

1x just… stared at her and went back to the game, progressively getting more aggressive with each hit. 

“Are you alright, Ellie?” Two Time quietly asked, still focused on the game. “That hit must’ve hurt…”

Elliot snapped out of it immediately. “I’m okay. It just stings a bit, and I might need a new tissue soon,” she smiled, giving them a reassuring thumbs up.

They both stayed silent for a moment before Elliot caught Two Time staring at Azure as he played, serving effortlessly. Their eyes were troubled, narrowing like they were trying to find something out.

Her eyebrow raised as she whispered loud enough for them to hear. “Azure’s really good at the game, huh?” 

“I suppose,” they responded, snapping back into reality with a strained smile.

Elliot’s eyebrow raised, concerned at Two Time’s recent zoning out. “Is there something wrong, Two? You can tell me anything, you know.”

“Mhm. I… just—I feel like I know him from somewhere, that’s all.” They murmured, tail flicking slowly behind them as their palm found comfort in their chin.

Elliot simply nodded. The two were truly inseparable from the moment they met each other, and even when they don’t remember their past relationship, they seem to be connected each time. 

Even if they hate each other.  

Water break came soon enough, and Elliot was still bleeding from her nose. The tissue her classmate gave her was already soaked in blood, and she knew it wasn’t going to stop anytime soon.

Her arm was suddenly grabbed by 1x, pulling her towards the exit as she pressed a clean tissue against her nose, crumbling the old one in her hand harshly. 

They walked through the hallway while Elliot stammered about leaving without permission, getting in trouble or extra homework. 1x didn’t say much, only muttering a quick shut up. 

The door to the nurse’s office was pushed open as 1x finally got Elliot to sit down. 

“Sit down,” she muttered, gathering bandages and kneeling in front of Elliot’s wounded leg.

“…You’re careless,” she whispered, mostly to herself, eye twitching slightly.

1x’s fingers brushed against her leg—warm and comforting despite being the creation of hatred.

But what she was feeling for Elliot… it wasn’t hatred.

Maybe it was l—

Elliot peeked up at her. “…You came all the way across the court for me.”

“I didn’t come for you,” 1x snapped instantly, though her voice lacked its usual bite. “It was annoying to watch.”

Elliot smiled a little. “…Mhm.”

That clearly irritated her. 1x stepped closer, letting go of the loose bandages before grabbing Elliot’s wrist—not rough, but firm enough to pull the tissue away slightly.

“Hold it properly,” she said, adjusting Elliot’s hand against her nose. Her fingers lingered longer than necessary before pulling back.

Elliot’s breath hitched just slightly. “…You’re really good at this,” she murmured.

“I’ve seen worse,” 1x replied flatly.

A pause.

“You bleed easily.”

Elliot let out a soft laugh despite herself. “I got hit in the face…”

“That doesn’t mean you have to react like that,” 1x shot back, though her eyes flicked over Elliot’s face again, checking for any sign of it getting worse.

Why was she checking for that? 

This is her enemy!

Elliot noticed.

She shifted slightly on the bed, the paper crinkling softly in her hand. “…You’re staring again.”

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

“I’m checking if you’re still pathetic.” The hesitation before that word came out was too obvious, and it was almost like 1x actually felt bad for calling her something so mean.

Elliot laughed quietly, cheeks warming. “…Right.”

Silence settled again—but it wasn’t uncomfortable this time. Just… thick. The bandages wrapped around the scratch soaked up the mild blood, tight around the wound to keep it from leaking any further.

1x’s fingers tapped lightly against the counter before she suddenly reached out again. This time, she tilted Elliot’s chin up slightly.

“Stay still.”

Elliot froze.

1x leaned in just enough to inspect her properly, her eyes narrowing in concentration. Elliot could feel her breath—close, warm, steady.

Way too close.

Elliot’s fingers tightened around the edge of the bed, breath hitching at each little movement.

“You’re fine,” 1x muttered, but she didn’t move away immediately.

Elliot swallowed, face flushing as she looked away in embarrassment. “…You got worried.”

1x’s expression darkened from the accusation as she let go immediately, brushing her hands on her shirt. “I don’t get worried.”

“You dragged me out of class.”

“You were slowing the game down.”

“You’re still here.”

A pause.

Her hand found her chin, placing the tissue back properly as her chin tightened just slightly. “Don’t test me.”

Elliot’s heart skipped a beat, loud enough for 1x to probably hear. “…Okay.”

But she didn’t look away.

Neither did 1x.

For a second—just one—the tension shifted into something softer and quieter. 1x kept on tending to her wounds, and Elliot kept her gaze away from the other. Both of their hearts were doing weird things that they couldn’t quite explain.

“You’re smiling again,” 1x snapped, suddenly pulling back like she’d touched something she shouldn’t have.

Elliot hadn’t even noticed.

“Sorry.”

“Stop apologizing.”

“…Okay.”

Another pause.

 “You’re annoying.”

1x pushed one of Elliot’s curls behind her ear.

Then, suddenly, they realized how close they actually were to each other. 

Instead of saying anything, Elliot’s smile only softened. “You still came with me.”

1x froze for half a second. Then, her voice echoed through the empty nurse’s office with certainty. “…I wasn’t going to let someone else touch you.”

Elliot blinked before her cheeks flushed deeper, something warm blooming in her chest, fingers clutching around the edge of the examination bed. “…Oh.”

1x finally let out of her chin, eyes sharp again—defensive. “Don’t misunderstand.”

“I won’t.” Elliot nodded quickly.

But the way she said it—soft, knowing—made 1x scowl even harder despite the warmth in her chest.

It was hatred.

It had to be.

The door creaked open as the nurse returned, breaking the moment completely. She looked at both of them with her eyebrow raised in suspicion. 1x clicked her tongue, stepping back and crossing her arms again as if nothing had happened. Elliot pressed the tissue back to her nose, trying to hide the small smile still on her face.

“I’m assuming that you’re fine now?” The nurse asked, putting the remaining bandages away. “You both can go to class, just put ice on it and sit out.”

A small paper was given to Elliot. A nurse’s note to keep her from playing any games during gym class for the time being. 

Elliot thanked her before warmth unexpectedly spread in her hand. 1x held it tightly, already dragging her back to the class.

The walk back to the gym was quiet, except for the occasional tapping of their shoes against the marble flooring. Elliot kept on touching her nose, testing if it would start bleeding again, and 1x was walking like she hadn’t taken her out of class without permission earlier.

The noise hit them hard when they opened the doors—shoes shrieking from the contact to the floor, the ball getting hit, and yelling teammates. Some heads turned when they heard the door close loudly. 

Whispers erupted again as the coach approached the pair.

“You two,” he called out, each step becoming more furious than the other. “I never gave you permission to leave.”

“I’m sorry, I’ll—” 

1x interrupted her, glaring back at the teacher.

“Oh, so you were just going to let her bleed out?” she accused, her grip never faltering on Elliot’s hand.

If anything, it got tighter.

“Who are you to be telling me how to do my job?” 

“Apparently, I should be taking your job then.”

The teacher looked at both of them one last time. “Both of you.”

“Detention after school.”

…

What??

“This is your fault, you know. If you hadn't fallen, then this wouldn’t have happened,” she muttered, though it didn’t really seem like she meant it.

The bell had rang a few minutes ago, and they had to change before leaving. For the rest of the game, they sat out as a punishment for talking back. 1x kept on giving the teacher dirty looks and scowling every time they met each other’s gaze.

Elliot looked away sheepishly, secretly enjoying the hand-holding. “Mm… sorry.”

“Whatever. I already said stop apologizing,” she whispered, a faint blush spreading on her face.

Students kept on whispering as they changed out of their gym clothes quickly to avoid getting in trouble again. 

Elliot patted her skirt down, grabbed her bag and ran off for her last class of the day. Study hall. 

Easily one of her favorite classes.

It was calm, and a one-person job.

Unless one of her friends wanted to study with her…

The library had plenty of students coming in and out with books or piled-up assignments. Elliot found her way to the far corner, where the windows gave the best view of the school.

The wind outside blew the blossom petals away with it, some sticking onto the windows. A small smile slipped onto her face before she opened her folder, pulling out assignments that had to be finished soon.

Second turned into minutes as she flipped through pages, slowly forgetting about everything around her and checking over her answers before going to the next. 

The completed assignments piled slowly but surely. The last paper sat on the table, ready to be finished as Elliot started reading the question. 

[ quote block ] Let f(n) be a function such that f(n) = n² if n is even, and f(n) = n if n is odd. Find the value of f(f(2)) + f(f(3)).

She groaned as quietly as she could, staring intensely at the paper like it would solve itself that way. 

After a minute of questioning her life decisions, she went back to work, pencil scribbling against the paper as the questions slowly but surely filled out. 

A certain question made her stop in her tracks, look at it before sighing in utter confusion.

Over and over again, she tried to answer it, but nothing seemed to be the right answer. Finally, her head met the table in defeat. 

Instead of trying again, her hands started moving on their own, doodling stars around the clean paper. A small heart there, another stroke there. Slowly, she realized she wasn’t just doodling. She was drawing someone absentmindedly.

Some proportions were kind of wonky, and the lines were uneven, but it was unmistakable who it might’ve been.

1x.

A hand slid on the table, and she slammed a Post-it over the drawing of them immediately before looking up.

A familiar face met her gaze. 

Black fedora.

Long hair that reached their waist.

Obscured eyes with a visible scar lining their face.

Mafioso?

“Ah. I didn’t expect to see you here,” she muttered, sitting down across from her.

Elliot pressed her lips together, looking down. So much for being alone…

Quickly, she put her pencil down, carefully keeping eye contact with the taller girl. “Hi. Did you need something?” she asked, shoulders slightly tensing.

Despite knowing that she couldn’t exactly hurt her without getting in trouble, it still felt terrifying to have a mafia boss sit across from you like it’s normal.

“I saw you were… struggling. Thought I’d help.” Mafioso explained, tapping her sharp nails against the table. 

Elliot blinked.

Help?

Why would she want to help??

A group of heads turned towards them, already whispering and probably starting rumors. After a second of silence, Elliot slid the paper to Mafioso, pointing at the question that she didn’t understand.

Mafioso glanced down at the paper for a moment before leaning back in her chair, chuckling quietly before flatly asking: “…That’s all?” 

Elliot frowned slightly, already getting upset. “Well, yeah? I don’t understand it.”

A soft hum escaped her. Their long nails tapped against the table once before she grabbed Elliot’s pencil without asking and scanned the paper carefully. Her voice was quiet but helpful just the same.

“Look carefully,” Mafioso muttered, scribbling onto the paper neatly. “You solve the inside function first.”

Elliot blinked, watching the numbers quickly fill the page as it slowly all made sense. Her mouth made a small circle before it made a sound, “…Oh.”

“You were overthinking it.”

“That obvious?”

“Yes.”

Elliot laughed awkwardly under her breath, resting her cheek against her palm as she watched her continue writing effortlessly while she explained the calculations patiently, always making sure that she understood, giving her a turn to try each time.

The library stayed mostly quiet around them, pages flipping softly while students whispered between shelves. Mafioso was calm and helped even through Elliot’s mistakes. Meanwhile, outside, the blossom petals continued drifting past the windows.

“You’re calmer than usual today,” Elliot noted quietly.

Mafioso paused briefly, ignoring the remark. “…You’re bleeding.”

Elliot instinctively touched the bandage on her nose. “Oh. Right.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Who hit you?”

“It was an accident during volleyball,” she explained quickly. “Nobody meant to.”

A pause.

“…And 1x?”

Elliot nearly choked on air, looking away quickly as her voice stuttered. “W–What about her?!”

Mafioso’s eyebrow raised at the voice crack, then it clicked. “She nearly started a fight with the teacher.”

Heat crawled across Elliot’s face immediately. “I know…” she muttered, writing quickly to avoid the conversation.

“She was glaring at everyone after you left.” Elliot looked down at her paper fast enough to avoid eye contact.

Mafioso noticed instantly, and a quiet scoff escaped her, flatly adding one more thing. “You two are an interesting couple.”

Not a duo.

Not friends.

A couple.

“Huh?!”

Before Elliot could question her further, the loudspeaker crackled softly overhead, signalling the final minutes of study hall as small, excited noises echoed throughout the library. Mafioso stood first, sliding the completed worksheet and half-chewed pencil back toward Elliot with a smile.

“There,” they muttered. “Try not to fail.”

“I wouldn’t have failed…”

“You were drawing hearts instead of working.”

Elliot froze.

Slowly—

very slowly—

Her eyes drifted toward the hidden Post-it note.

Mafioso smirked faintly. “…Your secret’s safe with me.” And then she walked away, fixing her smudged lipstick, leaving Elliot absolutely mortified in her seat.

Bim-bom!

The bell chimed, echoing off the walls as students stood up so quickly that a chair fell, making the librarian shush them loudly.

Time for detention…

The classroom where detention was taking place was empty and dark; the only source of light was the warm streaks of the sun pouring into the room, making strokes on the marble flooring. It was cold inside the room, and papers were piled onto the teacher’s desk.

1x sat on one of the chairs, posture slumped like they were bored out of their mind. Their gaze flickered to the door as it creaked open, expression irritated, but when they saw Elliot, something changed. Almost like they were glad to see her. It quickly disappeared when they looked away, but Elliot had noticed it anyway.

She sank slowly into the chair next to her, then let the silence stretch. 

From outside, the hallways were noisy—students slamming lockers closed as they walked out, ready to go home or hang out with friends. Footsteps echoed throughout the building from every direction.

But inside the class, everything was quiet. 1x hadn’t even said a single word ever since she came in, which was weird; normally, she would mutter insults or complain about how this was Elliot’s fault, but… nothing came. Only tense silence.

Maybe it was better this way.

Elliot had been wanting to tell 1x something ever since they arrived in this high school. 

Something that had been eating at her whole being each time she tried to talk with them.

Each time she looked at them.

Each time she thought about them.

And, right now, with no one around, it was the perfect moment to do it.

“Um—1x, where’s the teacher?” The words slipped out of her mouth without any permission. That wasn’t even what she was trying to say! 

1x finally looked back at her, scoffing before answering. “Something about being called by another teacher. Said he’d be back in thirty-something minutes.”

Now was the time she could finally tell her.

Her face flushed as she stood up abruptly, almost tripping over the chair. The courage built up slowly before she was in front of 1x’s desk, averting her gaze in embarrassment. “1x! I–I have something to tell you!”

The words echoed through the empty classroom far louder than Elliot intended. Her face burned instantly afterward, fingers curling tightly against her skirt. 1x stared at her from her chair, expression unreadable.

“…Then say it,” she muttered.

Elliot’s throat tightened immediately.

Right.

Now she actually had to say it.

“I—um…” Her eyes darted everywhere except toward 1x. “You’re probably going to think this is weird, or stupid, or annoying or—or something equally terrible, but I can’t really keep it in anymore because it’s been bothering me ever since we got here and—”

“Get to the point.”

Elliot’s blush deepened slightly. “…Right.”

Silence settled between both of them once again as the sunlight spilled through the windows and painted streaks of gold across the floor. Dust floated lazily through the air while muffled student voices echoed faintly outside the classroom. Elliot’s heartbeat felt unbearable, the words in her mind getting all scrambled, which made thinking about what she was going to say next impossible.

Then—

“I like you.”

She blurted out, suddenly realizing what she said. 

1x froze.

Not dramatically.

Just enough for Elliot to notice, and somehow, that made everything worse.

Elliot laughed nervously, already panicking. “I know that sounds insane! Because you’re always threatening me and glaring at people and acting like you hate everything, but I still— I still like being around you anyway.”

1x still didn’t say anything, so Elliot took that as a sign to keep talking. Her words spilled out fast, which made her say anything that first came to mind.

“You stayed with me in the nurse’s office even though you didn’t have to, and you keep grabbing my hand and pulling me around everywhere and getting mad whenever people get too close to me and—and you look at me like I’m important even when you’re insulting me.”

Her voice got quieter after that. 

“…And I know you think you can only hate people.”

“But I don’t think that’s true.”

Heavy silence stood between them, and Elliot finally forced herself to look at her properly, tears absentmindedly running down her face from the overwhelming confession she’d just made.

Big mistake.

1x was staring at her so intensely that it almost stole the air from her lungs.

“…So,” Elliot continued weakly, cheeks burning hotter by the second as her breath hitched, “I know you might hate me more after this… but I really wanted you to know!”

1x still said nothing, only stared at Elliot like she had asked about something ordinary instead of a confession.

There were no insults.

No yelling.

Or threats.

…Just staring.

Elliot’s stomach dropped.

Oh.

Oh no.

“I—I’m sorry,” she blurted quickly, mortified with the situation. It was obvious she didn’t like her. “Forget I said anything. That was embarrassing, I shouldn’t have—” She turned abruptly, ready to flee the classroom before she could humiliate herself further.

What she’d said that morning, she wasn’t lying. But 1x didn’t expect it to be them. How could she even like her despite the aggressiveness?

What was there that she—the prettiest girl she’d ever laid her eyes upon—had a crush on? The manifestation of hatred?

A hand suddenly grabbed her wrist firmly, its warmth immediately catching Elliot’s attention.

Elliot gasped softly as she was yanked backward hard enough to stumble against the edge of the desk.

“1x—?”

“You,” 1x hissed, standing so abruptly the chair screeched against the floor, “talk too much.”

Her other hand slammed onto the desk beside Elliot, trapping her there instantly. Elliot’s breath caught in her throat, and 1x’s expression looked furious, but it wasn't hateful or annoyed. It was something worse.

Something desperate.

“You keep saying things you don’t understand,” she muttered, voice low and strained. “Looking at me like that. Smiling at me like that.”

Elliot’s heart hammered painfully in her chest.

And without thinking, she whispered: “…Then tell me to stop.”

1x went still for only a second before grabbing Elliot’s chin, wiping a single tear away and staring.

Not with anger.

Something close to obsession.

Like they’d been waiting for this moment to happen.

And before Elliot could even breathe properly again—

1x kissed her.

Elliot makes a small, surprised gasp against the kiss as their lips crash, clearly not expecting it. Small tears—happy tears—ran down her face as her hands wrapped around 1x’s neck tightly, their bodies pressed closely together.

The kiss is intense, not soft, more like 1x had been holding something back for way too long now. They pressed Elliot back until she bumped into the edge of the desk. 1x swallowed Elliot’s whine eagerly, smirking into the kiss as they watched the blond squirm. 

It only deepened when she lifted Elliot slightly and sat her on top of the table, stepping in between her knees like it was the most natural thing to do in an empty classroom. Elliot flushed at the new position instantly, but didn’t complain. Instead, her hand’s grip only tightened around the manifestation's neck while their grip shifted from the table to Elliot’s waist.

When they finally pulled apart, Elliot blinked rapidly, breath hitching every second. She rested her head against their shoulder, panting. “Don’t stop.”

“...Please?”

Their lips met again, messy but free. The cherry blossoms blew inside the classroom, getting into Elliot’s hair. Her hands hovered over 1x, trying to find somewhere else to grip. They eventually found her shoulders, heads titling as 1x bit on her lip, making it bleed only slightly.

1x pulled back just enough to look at the small cut forming on Elliot’s lip. Their thumb brushed over it immediately, smearing the faint streak of red across her skin.

Elliot’s breathing shook. The taller girl’s pupils were blown wide, staring at her like she’d lost every bit of self-control she’d spent years building. Her grip around Elliot’s waist tightened unconsciously, pulling her closer to the edge of the desk until their bodies pressed together again.

“…You asked for more,” 1x muttered hoarsely, almost accusatory, like this was somehow Elliot’s fault.

Elliot’s face burned brighter at the sound of their voice alone. “…Mhm.”

That tiny response made something in 1x snap all over again. They kissed her harder this time, and it wasn’t careful.

Never careful.

Elliot let out another startled sound into the kiss as 1x tilted her head back slightly, chasing after every little breath she tried to take. Their hand slid from Elliot’s waist up to her jaw, keeping her exactly where they wanted her as the desk creaked softly beneath them.

Outside the classroom, distant laughter echoed through the hallways, but neither of them paid attention to it anymore. Elliot’s fingers trembled against 1x’s shoulders before slowly tangling into their hair instead. The realization that this was actually happening made her head spin embarrassingly fast.

1x1x1x1 was kissing her.

Actually kissing her.

And judging by the way they refused to pull away for more than a few seconds at a time, they’d wanted this too. The thought alone made Elliot melt against them with a quiet whine. 1x immediately swallowed the sound with another kiss, almost greedy about it. Their forehead pressed briefly against Elliot’s afterward, both of them breathing unevenly.

“You make the most pathetic noises,” 1x whispered.

Elliot laughed breathlessly despite herself. “…You’re still being mean.”

“And you still talk too much.”

But this time, there wasn’t any real bite behind the insult.

Only warmth.

Only something frighteningly soft hiding underneath all the aggression.

1x’s eyes flickered across Elliot’s face again before narrowing slightly. “…You’re crying.”

Elliot blinked before quickly wiping at her cheeks. “S-sorry, I just—”

“I told you to stop apologizing.”

Their thumb brushed beneath Elliot’s eye more carefully this time, wiping away another tear before it could fall, and the gentleness of it made Elliot’s chest ache.

“…You really like me back?” she whispered quietly, almost like she was scared the answer would disappear if she spoke too loudly.

1x visibly stiffened, immediately defensive, again, while faint bits of blush painted their cheeks. “I never said that.”

Elliot stared at them blankly. “So, you literally pushed me onto a desk and started making out with me, doesn’t mean anything?”

A pause.

“I never said that either.”

Elliot burst into soft laughter, and for the first time since they’d met…

1x looked embarrassed.

“I love you, X.”

“I love you too.”