Work Text:
Sylus and Zayne had a well known Rivalry throughout the school. The two boys were polar opposites of each other. Zayne was a school council member who got straight A’s and even did free tutoring outside of school, while Sylus caused trouble, went to parties, and has never gotten an A in any class before, but he always passes, allowing him to be on the basketball team.
Most students find their endless bickering amusing, and some of the girls think they should “just kiss already”. But the truth remains. Those two hate each other and that’s never going to change…probably.
As Zayne is walking down the hallway, he’s sifting through some forms related to the planning of a school event when he suddenly collides with someone, dropping his papers.
“Watch where you’re-“ Zayne begins, turning around to see who just ran into him, his irritated look turns to one of pure digust.
“Oh…it’s you.” He sniffed.
“If it isn’t the snooty bitch.” Sylus retorts, looking Zayne up and down with judgement.
Zayne leans over to pick up his papers.
“Says the delinquent.” He shoots back
“Delinquent is a strong word. I just know how to have fun.”
“If your definition of fun just getting shitfaced every other weekend clearly you need some psychological help.”
Sylus rolls his eyes and grabs Zayne by the collar, lifting him a few inches off the ground
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think someone is looking for a fight.”
Zayne’s expression falters for a moment as he grabs Sylus’s wrist.
“Put me down, Sylus.”
“I don’t think I will.” Sylus threatens, his other hand clenching into a fist.
“Sylus-!” Zayne scolds, sounding more scared than authoritative.
“I’m going to enjoy this.” Sylus murmurs, holding his fist back.
Suddenly a loud pop comes from somewhere far around the corner, followed by screaming.
The two boys look down the hallway, frozen in terror for a moment, before Sylus snaps out of it, panicking as he grabs Zayne by the arm and pulls him into a nearby janitor’s closet and locks the door.
Zayne’s breathing quickens. He stares at the door in pure terror, his whole body trembling.
“What was that?” He pants, leaning against the wall.
“A gunshot, what the hell did you think it was?!” Sylus lashes, looking over at him, then back to the door.
Zayne clutches his chest like it hurts, sliding down the wall to sit against it as tears start to roll down his cheek.
Outside the door, the gunshots continue to ring out repreatedly.
Sylus crouches down in front of him, suppressing his own panic.
“Will you quit-“ he begins in an agitated, frantic whisper, but he trails off when he sees Zayne’s panicked, wet face, his jaw tightens at the sight. He can’t help but want to cry himself.
He lets out a deep sigh and huddles up next to Zayne, wrapping an arm around him awkwardly.
“It’s going to be okay…” he quavers, Rubbing his back.
“How could you say that in a situation like this-?!” Zayne sobs.
“I’m only trying to help.” Sylus argues, his voice breaking. He wipes his eyes roughly as his tears finally start to spill over.
“Fuck.” He curses under his breath.
Zayne looks over at him curiously.
“You’re crying?” He asks.
“Of course I am…”
Zayne’s expression softens a bit, he can’t help but stare. He’s never seen this side of Sylus before, and it frightens him.
“Quit staring me down.” Sylus rasps, trying to force himself to stop crying.
Zayne looks away for a moment, then hesitantly wraps his arms around Sylus’s neck, pulling him into a comforting embrace.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Sylus asks. His tone is aggressive but there’s really no heat to it. For once his fight has been drained out of him, leaving only a scared boy.
“You looked like you needed a hug.” Zayne responds, his voice cracking.
Sylus lets out a single, soft sob. He wraps his arms around Zayne in return, pulling him flush against himself.
An announcement of a lockdown goes over the intercoms while the two stay huddled together in the closet.
“We’ll be safe here. We just need to stay quiet.” Zayne murmurs, finally regaining some composure.
Sylus nods and pulls away from Zayne a little. Looking at his soft, tear-stained face. His gaze lingers on him for a moment longer. Was he…always this beautiful?
Sylus looks away gruffly and sits up completely.
“You can get off of my lap, now.” He grumbles.
Zayne shifts to sit back down on the floor, leaning against the wall and looking away from Sylus, who remains next to him, zoned out.
It’s silent for a minute or two, before Zayne decides to break it.
“Are you alright?”
Sylus huffs.
“Why do you care?”
“Why do you think? It’s not like I’m going to make fun of you at a time like this. I don’t like you, but I care about you because you’re still a person…and I know you’re just as scared as I am.”
Sylus goes quiet for a minute before answering the question.
“I’m fine.”
“It’s okay if you’re not” Zayne consoles him, putting a hand on his shoulder.
“I told you. I’m. Fine.” Sylus rasps, his tone turning aggressive again.
“Fine…” Zayne sighs.
“But…I have a question…”
“What.” Sylus commands.
“Why is it we hate each other anyway?”
Sylus’s brow furrows with confusion and annoyance.
“What kind of question is that?”
Zayne shrugs.
“I just couldn’t help but realize that I don’t remember what exactly I have against you. Apart from the fact that you break the rules.”
Sylus rolls his eyes.
“At least I don’t have a stick up my ass 24/7.”
Zayne frowns.
“I was trying to be nice…I didn’t want the last thing I say to you to be an insult.”
Sylus’s heart clenches at his words.
“We’re not going to die.”
“You don’t know that.” Zayne insists.
Sylus grabs his shoulder and shoves him against the cinderblock wall.
Before he can say anything, Zayne firmly grabs his wrist.
“Sylus, stop it. Violence isn’t going to solve anything right now and you know it.”
“Hopefully it will shut you up.” Sylus retorts, glaring down at him.
Zayne cups his face, forcing him to look him in the eyes, his voice a firm command.
“Listen to me. I know you’re stressed but that doesn’t give you the right to take it out on me and you know it.”
Sylus freezes up for a second, but he quickly pull away.
“Don’t touch me.” He warns.
Another announcement comes over the intercoms stating that there are several shooters in the building, so the lockdown will last even longer.
“FUCK.” Sylus mutters, a bit louder now.
“I hope everyone else is safe now.” Zayne murmurs.
Sylus stays quiet, staring at nothing.
Zayne pulls him close, locking his arms around his waist from behind.
“Like you said. Everything is going to be okay…I want to help you right now, because I can clearly see you need it. But I can’t if you shut me out.”
Sylus looks back at him and sighs, leaning back into the embrace.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?” Zayne asks.
“For trying to punch you earlier…and for pushing you away.”
Zayne nods.
“It’s okay…and…I just want you to know that I don’t truly hate you. I never have. I just worry about you. These things you do. Going out, getting into trouble, it can hurt your future and I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.” He rambles, his voice breaking as he speaks, tears spill from his eyes and soak into Sylus’s shirt.
Sylus is still and quiet for a minute before he sighs, turns in his arms and hugs him back.
“I don’t hate you either. I hate being controlled. Every time you badger me about that bullshit about how ‘I need to do better’ it feels like you think I’m weak to look out for myself, but I’m not.”
Zayne is quiet for a moment before he reaponds.
“I don’t think you’re weak, Sylus. You’re the strongest man I’ve ever met. I just want you to have a good future. I’ll be damned if I let anyone I know or care about put themselves in danger.”
Sylus pulls Zayne impossibly closer.
“I’ll be okay. I promise you.”
Zayne sobs into his shoulder, but suddenly there’s another gunshot, and this time it sounds closer to them. Another surge of panic rushes through Zayne’s body and he lets out a sharp gasp, his grip on Sylus tightening, Sylus’s body curls around Zayne’s, and he can’t help but start to cry again, not sobbing, just letting his tears spill over.
Despite the reassurance the two had given each other, they both know deep down…it’s likely that they could die here.
Zayne starts to sob uncontrollably, his whimpers starting to get louder.
Sylus’s eyes widen with panic
“ZAYNE, CALM DOWN.” He whispers frantically.
Zayne tries to suppress his cries, but he feels like he has no control over his body anymore. His vision is blurry from tears and tunnel vision. He feels like the world is spinning around his still form and his heart is pounding loudly in his ears as he sobs and hyperventilates.
Footsteps start to approach from down the hall. Sylus’s heart pounds with fear, and in a moment of sheer panic, he grabs Zayne by his hair and pulls him in for a rough kiss, muffling his voice. He pulls Zayne’s hand against his chest and holds it there, trying to offer extra comfort.
Zayne’s crying ceases after a second, he just stares at Sylus in pure shock. In the heat of the moment, he can’t help but lean into it, cupping Sylus’s face as he lets out a soft, blissful sigh, finally calm for the first time since the first gunshot rang out. The feeling of Sylus’s soft skin against his palm and lips, and the feeling of his pounding heartbeat grounding him somehow.
After what feels like forever, Sylus finally pulls away, looking over at the door, listening for any more footsteps while Zayne stares up at him in awe, his tear stained face now bright pink.
“Okay…” Sylus begins with a sigh, turning back toward Zayne.
“They’re gone now, we’re-“
Zayne cuts him off with a sudden, deep kiss in return for the one given to him.
Sylus pauses, stunned by the action, but not very shocked.
Zayne doesn’t break away, he only wraps his arms around Sylus’s neck, pulling him closer.
Sylus finally melts into it, sliding his hands to his back, holding it gently.
Zayne eventually pulls back, gazing back up at Sylus with an adoring look in his eyes.
“What was that for?” Sylus asks, his eyes searching Zayne’s face.
Zayne’s brow furrows slightly in confusion.
“Why did you do it first?”
“I needed to shut you up before someone found us.” Sylus answers
Zayne’s face falls slightly.
“Oh…”
Sylus tilts his head to the side, raising an eyebrow.
“Did you like it that much?”
Zayne’s face heats up and he looks away from Sylus, avoiding eye contact.
“I suppose I did…” he mutters, feeling awfully embarrassed.
Sylus scoffs and shakes his head, grabbing Zayne’s chin and turning his head to face him.
“Maybe I should do that more often then.” He teases, his hand moving to cup his cheek.
Zayne blushes deeply, looking somewhat shocked, he’s tempted to scold him. To tell him that now’s not the time to tease, but before he can say a word, Sylus’s lips descend on his once more.
Zayne hesitates for a moment, then immediately melts into him, his hand sliding to the back of Sylus’s head, running it through his hair.
Their lips move together in sync, the two completely lost in each other. The rest of the world melts away, leaving only them.
Sylus pulls Zayne into his lap, deepening the kiss.
Zayne breaks away for air, but then immediately pulls Sylus back in by his collar.
They continue for Christ knows how long, before the final announcement broadcasts over the intercoms.
“The shooters have been caught, it is now safe. Buses have been called, there will be an early dismissal. I repeat. There will be an early dismissal.”
Sylus sighs with relief.
“Thank god.”
Zayne nods.
“Yeah, indeed…do we leave now?” He asks.
“Obviously…” Sylus replies, starting to stand up before Zayne grabs his sleeve.
“Wait…are we going to…pretend this didn’t happen, or does this change things?” Zayne questions timidly, avoiding eye contact.
Sylus quietly thinks for a moment before answering.
“Well…I don’t think I can stand being your enemy after you kissed me like that.”
“Me neither…” Zayne admits.
“So let’s shake things up a bit.” Sylus shrugs.
“What do you want to do?” Zayne wonders.
Sylus is quiet for a moment before answering.
“You can come home with me…”
Zayne’s taken aback.
“I’m sorry??”
“Did I stutter? You can come home with me. We can talk more there.”
“Right…talk” Zayne sighs.
“Oh? Were you hoping I’d say something else?”
Zayne looks away.
“No…I was worried you’d say something else.”
Sylus chuckles softly and stands up, pulling Zayne up with him.
“Come on. Let’s get ready to leave. Shall we?” He offers, holding the door open for him.
Zayne nods and they walk to their lockers together.
As they stride down the hall, Zayne intentionally brushes his hand against Sylus’s, refusing to look at him once more in an awkward attempt to hide the deep blush on his face.
Sylus looks down at their hands for a minute before he takes Zayne’s in his own.
Zayne’s heart jumps as he feels the boy’s hand wrapped around his own, but he pulls it away, and changes its position to interlock their fingers.
Sylus can’t help but blush a bit himself, he gives Zayne’s hand a gentle squeeze before pulling away and going to his locker.
Zayne’s pauses for a moment, slightly disappointed from the loss of contact, but he just continues walking to his own locker.