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xxspringmelodyxx · 4 months

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That Girl’s a Liar~

Gojo Satoru x F!Reader

This is gonna have many chapters, so enjoy the ride, my lovelies!

“I’ve got a test to study for that I don’t feel ready for at all,” I told Kento as we walked down the crowded school hallway. The blond-haired man shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose in clear frustration, a gesture I had seen many times before when he was trying to make a point.

“I told you to stop hanging around those three. They keep distracting you from your schoolwork, which is why you’re always left in a frantic state like this,” he lectured, his voice taking on that familiar stern tone that always made me feel like a child being scolded. His words made me pout, feeling both guilty and defensive.

“Can you stop acting like my dad and actually help me? You’re supposed to encourage me and say I’ll do great!” I protested, my frustration growing. I had hoped for a little bit of sympathy, or at least some encouragement, instead of another lecture.

“That would be lying,” he replied bluntly, his honesty cutting through my hopes like a knife through butter.

“You’re so mean,” I retorted, pulling out my phone in a desperate attempt to find any cheat sheets that might help me cram for the test. It felt like a futile effort, but I didn’t know what else to do.

“And you’re an idiot for ignoring my warnings. I told you hanging out with those three, especially Satoru, would cause you nothing but trouble,” he continued, his tone a mix of exasperation and genuine concern.

“Oh, buzz off, Ken. They’ve done nothing wrong. Besides, we’ve been such close friends since I first joined this school. I can’t just ignore them,” I said defensively,

Kento sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair as he tried to find the right words. “Well, perhaps I can help—” he started, but was rudely interrupted when a pair of strong hands wrapped around my waist, lifting me off the ground with surprising ease.

“Ah! Toru, let me go this instant! Ken and I were talking!” I yelled, struggling against the special grade sorcerer’s grip. Satoru turned around to see Kento and gave him a cheeky wave, his usual mischievous grin firmly in place.

“Hey buddy! You don’t mind if I take her, do you? I’m sure it would save you the hassle!” Satoru teased, his voice dripping with playful mischief. His eyes sparkled with that characteristic glint that always meant trouble was brewing.

“Hassle?! What do you mean by that?” I asked, raising my voice in disbelief at his audacity. I shot a desperate look at Kento, silently begging him to rescue me from this situation. Kento, my steady rock, my good old friend, had to see how much I needed his help. But instead, a small smile crossed his lips as he looked towards Satoru, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

“She’s all yours,” Kento replied, turning on his heels and walking away without a second thought, his casual dismissal leaving me stunned.

“W-What? Ken! You can’t just leave me here with him!” I yelled after him, feeling a mix of betrayal and frustration as Satoru began to drag me away. The hallway seemed to stretch endlessly as I tried to pull free, my pleas echoing off the walls.

“Hey, there’s no need to be mean, N/N. Besides, you should be honored being held in my arms like this,” Satoru said, his grip tightening slightly as he hugged me closer, his voice full of exaggerated affection.

“Toru! Now is not the time to goof off! I’m in serious trouble here!” I exclaimed, my voice tinged with panic. Hearing the urgency in my tone, Satoru loosened his grip and looked at me with a hint of concern.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice a little more serious this time, which was a rare occurrence for him.

I looked up at him and sighed deeply. “I have an exam in three days, and I have no idea what’s going on in that class. I tried to talk to Kento to see if he could somehow help me, but you took me away before I could ask him,” I explained, feeling the weight of my academic worries pressing down on me.

Satoru’s expression shifted slightly as you spoke. There was a strange look in his eyes—hurt. Why didn’t you ask him for help instead of Kento? After all, he was Satoru Gojo, the man who excelled at everything he did. He quickly masked his emotions, putting on his usual confident facade, and wrapped his arm around me.

“Oh come on, you don’t need him! You have me! Let me help you!” he offered, his voice full of enthusiasm.

I rolled my eyes at his typical bravado. “Yeah, right. Like you’d actually be helpful,” I muttered, though a small part of me was curious about what he had in mind.

“You wouldn’t be able to focus. You don’t take things seriously,” I said, making him place his hands on his heart dramatically as if I had deeply wounded him.

“Oh, you wound me! How could you think I, Satoru Gojo, don’t take anything seriously?” he exclaimed, pretending to be deeply hurt. His theatrics were both endearing and infuriating.

“Well, for instance, what you’re doing right now is a great example of what I just said,” I replied, turning around to go find Kento. He quickly stopped his acting and grabbed my hand, making me tense up a bit from the unexpected contact.

“Wait, I’m sorry. I know you’re actually being serious about this, and I was too… just maybe not showing it too well. I can help you. Let me help you,” he said in a more sincere tone this time. His eyes softened, and for once, he seemed genuinely earnest.

I turned around to see him really close to me, our hands still intertwined. The closeness made my heart skip a beat. Satoru noticed it as well and quickly let go, giving me some space.

“Uh… sorry,” he said, trying to calm down his nerves and the butterflies that were fluttering wildly in his stomach. His vulnerability was a rare sight, and it made me pause. Seeing this side of him, so different from his usual confident self, made me realize how much he genuinely cared.

“Okay,” I replied, making him look down at me in surprise.

“W-what?” he stammered, clearly not expecting my agreement.

“I agree with you helping me out,” I said, making the atmosphere return to normal. A smile spread across Satoru’s face as he heard those words. Just as he was about to celebrate, I put a finger up, catching his attention.

“But, you have to promise me you won’t get distracted and that you’ll take things seriously,” I told him, making him place his hands up in defense.

“Okay, you have my word. No goofing around, just strict business,” he said, nodding earnestly.

“Good. And if you do happen to break that promise—” I started, my tone firm.

“Which I won’t,” he interjected quickly, his eyes wide with determination.

“Then I won’t make you my world-famous kikufuku for a whole month!” I declared, making his eyes widen in shock.

“What?! A whole month! N/N, that’s not—” he began to protest, his voice rising in panic.

“Ah, ah, ah. Agree to it, or I’m going to go find Kento. It’s the only way I can make sure you don’t play around. I need as much help as I can get, especially in just three days,” I said, making him pout and kick the ground in frustration.

“Fine, I agree,” he said with a saddened tone, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

I clasped my hands together happily. “Great! Now that that’s settled, you wanna go grab something to eat before we begin studying?” I asked, making him perk up at the suggestion.

”Yes!” He said, grabbing you once more and putting you over his shoulder.

”Eh! Toru, stop just picking me up whenever you feel like it! Let me down!” You yelled, trying to wriggle out of his gasp, but he just held you tighter.

”No can do, Y/n. I know of this really great place to eat at. We can eat and study there at the same time! And we’ve got no time to waste!” He said, walking towards a small cafe.

*****

Hours had passed since Satoru and I had arrived at the cozy little café, and here we were, still tucked away in a quiet corner. However, the stress that had been gnawing at me earlier had faded considerably. The café’s delicious aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods, combined with its soothing background music, created a relaxing ambiance that helped calm my nerves. Savoring a light meal didn’t hurt either. To my surprise, Satoru turned out to be an excellent tutor. It was amazing how much I had learned in such a short amount of time, all thanks to him.

“And so, what do you call this structure?” Satoru asked, drawing out a hexagonal structure with a circle inside of it on a piece of paper.

“That’s just benzene, right?” I responded, trying to recall the details from our study session.

“Exactly! Honestly, I don’t know what you were so worried about, Y/N. You caught onto this stuff really quickly. You’re almost as smart as me,” he teased, his eyes sparkling with playful mischief.

I playfully glared at him, rolling my eyes at his usual boastful tone. “Almost as smart as you? I’m pretty sure I’m just as smart as you.” I replied with a smirk.

He laughed, the sound warm and genuine. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves~” He teased.

“I’m just saying, you’ve got a good grasp on this material. You’ll ace that exam, no problem,” he assured me, his confidence in my abilities boosting my own.

“Thanks, Toru. I really appreciate your help,” I said sincerely, meeting his eyes. “I was really freaking out about this exam.”

“Anytime, Y/N. Besides, I like spending time with you,” he admitted, his tone turning softer. “Even if it means going over boring chemistry stuff.”

I smiled, feeling a warmth spread through me as he said those words. “Well, I’m glad you’re here. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

He leaned back in his chair, a satisfied grin on his face. “You know, this whole studying thing isn’t too bad. Maybe we should make this a regular thing. Study dates,” he suggested, winking.

My face heated up slightly at the term “study dates.” “Dates, huh? You’re getting ahead of yourself, Satoru.”

He chuckled, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Okay, okay. Study sessions then.”

I smiled at him, trying to ignore the tingly sensation I felt just from talking to him.

“But seriously, y/n… you should give yourself more credit. You’re smarter than you think.”

I sighed, feeling a bit more at ease. “I guess I just doubt myself sometimes. It’s hard not to when you’re surrounded by people who seem to have it all figured out.”

Satoru’s expression softened, “Hey, everyone has their moments of doubt. Even me. But you’ve got to trust yourself. You’re capable of more than you know.”

His words resonated with me, and I nodded. “I’ll try to remember that. Thanks, Toru.”

He reached across the table and gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. “Anytime. Now, let’s go over that last section again, just to make sure you’ve got it down.”

As we continued to review the material, I felt a newfound sense of confidence. With Satoru by my side, I felt like I could tackle anything. And maybe, just maybe, this test wouldn’t be so daunting after all.

*****

The day of the exam had passed, and I was met with great news. Excitement bubbled inside me as I hurried to find Satoru to share the good news. I spotted him walking with Suguru and Shoko down the hallway. Quickening my pace to catch up with them, I finally caught their attention.

"Hey girl~" Shoko greeted, wrapping her arm around my shoulders.

"Hey Shoko! You’ll never believe what I got on my exam," I said, a wide smile plastered on my face.

"Did you do good? Please tell me you did good, or else I’m gonna feel horrible for teaching you," Satoru said, his playful tone mixed with a hint of genuine concern.

I chuckled at his worried expression. "Well then, you’ll be happy to know that I got a 97 out of 100!" I announced, beaming with pride.

Satoru’s face lit up with a huge smile. "Oh thank goodness. I was starting to think my teaching skills were horrible."

"Not at all, Satoru. In fact, you’d be a pretty damn good teacher if you ever consider it," I reassured him, his smile growing wider at my compliment.

"Well, I think this calls for a celebration after school! What do you all say?" Shoko suggested with a gleam in her eye.

"You just want a reason to go out today and smoke, don’t you?" Suguru teased, raising an eyebrow at her.

Shoko shrugged nonchalantly. "My reasons are my own, my friend," she said, grabbing my hand. "Come on, we have to get to class before Sensei Yaga gets there," she added, pulling me along with her.

As we walked, I glanced back at Satoru, who gave me a thumbs up and a wink. The weight of the exam lifted off my shoulders, replaced with a sense of accomplishment and gratitude. With friends like these, even the toughest challenges seemed conquerable.

"I’m really proud of you," Satoru called out as we moved ahead.

"Thanks, Toru. I couldn’t have done it without you," I replied, feeling a warmth spread through me.

"Alright, enough of the mushy stuff. Let’s get to class before we get in trouble," Shoko interjected, her tone light and teasing.

We hurried down the hall, talking amongst ourselves about random things in the world. Although Suguru decided now would be a good time to push the limits just a bit, especially with knowing how his best friend truly feels about you.

He turned towards Toru with a shit-eating grin on his face. "You helped her, huh?" he teased, his tone dripping with playful mischief, making his face start to turn red.

"Shut up, Suguru. She just needed a little help with her school work, nothing else," Satoru interjected defensively, shooting a warning glance at his friend.

"Mhmm. So you mean to tell me that—" Suguru began, but I quickly cut him off, not wanting him to tease Satoru any further.

"Hey, it's not like that," I chimed in, trying to diffuse the situation. "Satoru was just being a good friend and helping me out. There's nothing more to it." I said softly with a smile on my face, though the thought of it did make my heart race.

Suguru raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "Sure, sure. Whatever you say," he replied, his grin widening.

"Seriously, Suguru, drop it," Satoru insisted, his tone firm as he shot another warning look at his friend.

Suguru chuckled, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Fine, fine. I'll let it go... for now," he teased, winking at me before turning to walk away.

I let out a sigh of relief, grateful that Suguru had dropped the subject. Glancing at Satoru, I offered him a reassuring smile.

*****

As Sensei Yaga began the lesson, all four of us sat at our desks, bored out of our minds. Today's topic promised to be engaging, but we will see if that’s really the case. However, the atmosphere shifted when Sensei Yaga announced a special guest who would be joining the class for the day.

"Good morning, class," Sensei Yaga began, his voice resonating in the room. "Before we delve into today's lesson, I have the pleasure of introducing a new student. Please welcome Aksana."

The door opened, and Aksana entered the room with a confident stride. Her presence commanded attention, and she scanned the room with a subtle air of superiority. As she made her way to an empty seat, her gaze lingered momentarily on Satoru before moving on.

Satoru, ever the charmer, offered her a friendly nod as she took her seat. They had crossed paths before, just briefly, but Aksana seemed to remember him well. She had heard about him—his power, his popularity—and she saw an opportunity.

Throughout the lesson, Aksana's presence was palpable. She participated eagerly, her insights sharp and perceptive. But it wasn't just her academic prowess that caught attention—it was the way she seemed to gravitate towards Satoru, engaging him in conversation whenever she could.

As the lesson progressed, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Aksana's attention seemed fixated on Satoru, her eyes lingering on him a little too long, her smiles a little too calculated. It was as if she was trying to assert her dominance over him, to stake a claim.

After the lesson ended, Aksana approached Satoru with a charming smile. "Hey, Toru," she greeted, her voice smooth as silk. For some reason, it irked me when she called him that as well. They barely knew each other and she’s already treating him like they’re best friends. "I couldn't help but notice your insightful contributions during the lesson. You must be quite knowledgeable in this subject."

Satoru, always polite, returned her smile with one of his own. "Thanks, I try to keep up with the material," he replied casually.

Aksana's smile widened, and she leaned in a bit closer. "I was wondering if you'd be interested in joining me for coffee sometime. I'd love to pick your brain a bit more about the subject."

”Well actually-“ He started, but was cut off by her wrapping her arm around his.

”Great! There’s actually a little cafe near by that I saw and I have been dying to go there!” She interrupted, not giving him a chance to deny her offer

As they walked away together, I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. Despite Aksana's obvious interest in Satoru, he remained polite but distant. Yet, the thought of him spending time alone with her still made me uneasy. Suguru, Shoko, and I exchanged glances, each of us wearing expressions of confusion. Shoko's gaze met mine, and she must have seen the worry etched on my face. With a gentle touch, she placed her hand on my shoulder, offering silent reassurance. Of the three, she was the only one who knew about my feelings towards the white-haired boy.

I appreciated Shoko's gesture, the warmth of her touch grounding me in the midst of my swirling emotions. Despite my attempts to appear unaffected, the sight of Aksana's obvious interest in Satoru had stirred up a storm of jealousy and insecurity within me. She is very beautiful after all, and she’s extremely smart from looks of it. I couldn't help but wonder if he noticed her advances, if he felt the same magnetic pull towards her as she did towards him.

Suguru, ever perceptive, must have sensed the tension in the air. "You alright, Y/N?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.

I forced a smile, nodding in response. "Yeah, just caught off guard by Aksana's sudden interest in Satoru," I replied, trying to downplay my unease.

Shoko squeezed my shoulder gently, her eyes filled with understanding. She quietly spoke to you so no one else heard.

"Don't worry, Y/N. Satoru's not the type to fall for just anyone's charms. You’ve got nothing to worry about." she reassured me, her voice soft but resolute.

As we left the classroom together, I just couldn't shake the feeling that our friendship was about to face a new challenge, one that would test our bonds like never before.

_________________

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cherries-in-wine · 4 months

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My academic weapon status went from being a deadly rifle to a dull as fuck butter knife

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piles-of-numbers · 5 days

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in my academic weapon era but like. as a butter knife.

#studyblr #gradblr #academia #chaotic academia #academic weapon

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konohokelly · 8 months

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LEECH - Sejanus Plinth (1/2)

Leeches are segmented parasitic or predatory worms that comprise the subclass Hirudinea.

Summary: Hirudinea Snow is going to baby-trap Sejanus Plinth to get her hands on the Plinth fortune. Warnings: Sex, manipulation, sexual assault (baby-trapping), toxicity, gaslighting, OC is a bitch, Sejanus is too good for her, OC is a bad person through and through, OC is a Capitol supremacist, Dead Dove Do Not Eat. Minors DNI Past!Hilarius Heavensbee I’m a first time smut writer. Sorry if it’s not good :( MC is fem and named but her appearance is NEVER explicitly described.

Borders by @saradika on tumblr

Graduation was a few months away, and Hirudinea Snow saw no future ahead.

Hirudinea was a lot of things; she was mean-spirited, spiteful, judgmental and shallow. Or at least that's what she's been told.

If her outside matched her inside, she would be as hideous as could be, but they didn't match, and she thought herself to be fairly good-looking. After all, she didn't have much else going for her.

Unlike her older sister, Tigris, she wasn't talented at anything in particular, and unlike her cousin Coriolanus, she wasn't academically inclined.

This was going to be a problem. Her time at the Academy was coming to an end, and she couldn't cheat off Coriolanus to get into University like she had done to secure her place at the Academy.

She often dreamt of her childhood before the uprisings when she was content with the family fortune, but they were brought to ruin by those ungrateful districts, and the money wasn't coming back. It was blown to bits with District 13.

If Hirudinea had her way, the rest of the districts would have ended up like 13, but the Hunger Games would just have to do.

It was times like this that she ruminated on the Plinth family, who were dirt beneath her shoes, yet they lived like kings while she holed away in this rat's nest they called an apartment. And Sejanus Plinth was the worst of them.

She couldn't keep her vision from turning red whenever he spoke against the Capitol in class. He should be thankful that people like her tolerated his living amongst them.

‘I deserve everything he has. It’s not fair.’

Yet he had a legacy set out for him, and all she had was a year left at the academy. After which, her popularity with the student body would mean nothing, and all her friends would move on.

She was nothing, and she contributed nothing. Tigris took care of the family, and Corio studied hard to take them out of poverty, but how would he afford university? How would Tigris not burn out before she achieved her dream?

Hirudinea couldn't help them, all she did was take; she was just a parasit-

"Dinea," Tigris interrupted the depressing train as she entered the room.

"You should come while the food's still hot," Tigris informed her with a warm smile.

Right in the middle of the old oak dining table was a large loaf of bread flanked by a meager serving of butter and jam. Grandma'am and Corio were already seated, eating in silence.

Hirudinea didn't bother using the knife. Tearing into the bread, she moaned as the taste of freshly baked goodness filled her mouth.

"Hey!" Coriolanus exclaimed, unimpressed by her lack of table manners.

The cousins never got along; they were too alike yet too different at the same time. Both had a deep-seated cruelty but while he kept his sentiments disguised, she struggled not to let them out.

"Don't shout at little Dinea, Coriolanus. Manners!" Grandma'am warned. It was no secret that Dinea was the favorite grandchild. The girl could get away with anything in their home.

She tutted smugly at Coriolanus before turning to Tigris with her mouth still full.

"It's sooo good. How did we afford fresh bread?"

"I, um... I had some extra money from work," Tigris rushed out, quickly turning away to cut a piece for herself.

Hirudinea threw her gaze across the table, meeting Coriolanus's. They both knew what Tigris did to feed them tonight.

It was one of the many things they acknowledged but never voiced aloud.

Sensing an oncoming uncomfortable silence, Hirudinea quickly changed the topic. "You'll never guess who Lysistrata was spotted with last week."

She looked off mysteriously, hoping to drum up interest in the otherwise irrelevant drama.

Back in her room, Hirudinea resumed her wallowing as she flipped through the gossip column in yesterday's newspaper.

She thought of the bread and the things her sweet sister had to do to put food on the table. Their parents would be rolling in their graves to see their daughter reduced to such. How Tigris was worth.

Hirudinea’s eyes landed on the story of a woman who was impregnated by some society woman's husband and has allegedly been living off the child care allowance ever since.

'Isn't that funny, my life is going down the drain but some hussy gets pregnant and...'

A lightbulb went off in Hirudinea's head. She sat up on the bed, a scheme coming to life in her mind, one that would change everything.

Hirudinea would get her fortune, and she would leverage all she had to get it.

For the first time in probably forever, Hiridinea was excited to be in school.

Today was the first day of her new life.

It was easy.

All she had to do was have a baby. She decided that going off with some gross old man would leave her with too little control so the father of her child would have to be around her age.

She never cared much for children. She wanted them at some point, but it was never a priority and never for any reason more than she felt she was supposed to have them.

But now there was urgency to it. The only question was which one of her classmates would be the patsy.

She sat in the last row of the class alone today, far away from her best friends, Arachne and Livia.

As she saw their mouths move in conversation, she didn't wonder what they were talking about; she knew the topic was probably her. Hirudinea didn't mind; she did it to either of them whenever the other wasn't around too.

She scoped out the boys in class. None of them would do. In fact, most of them would outright call her a slut and turn her away if she came up to them and said

"Remember that time we had sex? Yeah, you got me pregnant"

Hilarius Heavensbee was her first choice; they had dated for a long time and had similar views of the world, but he was also deathly afraid of disappointing his mother, a battleaxe of a woman who didn't like Hirudinea much. The feeling was mutual.

The woman had finally told Hilarius to break up with Hirudinea after a particularly bad argument between his mother and girlfriend, and he did!

If she ended up pregnant for Hilarius, she would either be forced to abort or give away the baby, and then there wouldn't have been a point to any of it.

Pup was the next best choice. Although she couldn't imagine kissing him, with his food-lodged braces, she knew of his father's sense of responsibility, a military trait.

If she had Pup's baby, the boy himself might turn her away, but his father would not.

As she began to pack up her belongings to move over to Pup and begin her seduction, the doors of the classroom slammed open.

In came Sejanus Plinth. Hirudinea scoffed, he couldn't even be bothered to show up on time. But this lack of public etiquette was to be expected, after all, he wasn't like the rest of them.

"Sorry," he quietly apologized to the professor, not bothering to explain himself, as he knew a trip to the dean's office was in his future regardless.

He looked towards Coriolanus to find the seats surrounding his friend already full. He sighed and reluctantly moved towards the back of the class.

As he walked up the stairs, Hirudinea noticed his shoes; they were brand new, dark leather with silver accents. They must have cost a fortune.

The cogs in the girl's head began to turn.

He sat a few chairs down from her.

'Maybe...but no...wait, this might be something. No, this is perfect!'

She gathered her books and quietly moved down the aisle, settling down beside the curly-haired boy.

The young heir didn't notice her. He was too focused on whatever he was writing in his notes.

From what little she had gathered over the years, he was the perfect candidate: Insanely wealthy, influential, attractive and stupidly naive.

The best part was that he had an annoying sense of moral superiority and would never turn her child away. His parents were a piece of cake; Mrs. Plinth seemed nice enough, and Strabo, in desperation to be considered Capitol, wouldn't deny his grandchild, born from a member of the reputable Snow family.

Of course, there's the fact that Sejanus is District. He was below her. But it didn't matter, she reasoned; the districts owe her for the dark days, and this was just compensation. The Plinths would take on the burden of providing for her child, and she would get their money to save her family and do with as she likes.

Yes, it was perfect.

"Psst," she whispered. "Hey. Sejanus."

Sejanus finally glanced up, shocked when he realized who had called to him.

Hirudinea never made much of an effort to interact with him in recent years, only ever addressing him directly, although briefly, when she needed to speak with Corio and Sejanus was around.

He didn't really miss their childhood interactions either, which consisted of her leading the charge to push him around and call him district scum on the playground.

As they grew up, she had become cordial with him but would still snicker whenever someone made a comment about his upbringing.

He quickly returned his expression to the stoic face he wore when dealing with Capitol people like Hirudinea.

"What are you up to?" She asked with a smile, a playful lilt in her cadence.

Now that was weird to him.

"Taking notes" he replied neutrally

She nodded, looking around as she came up with something else to talk about.

She turned back to him,

“I forgot my notepad in my locker” she used her arm to cover her notepad which was on the table “Is it okay if I copy off yours after class?"

Was this some sort of trick? He thought.

She saw his hesitation and acted quickly "I'm doing really bad in this class, and I can't afford to fail the next quiz." She placed her soft hand over his. "Please."

It would be wrong of him to let her fail, wouldn't it? His soft brown eyes sparkled with compassion.

"Okay, I have a free period next. Meet me after class?"

Coriolanus seemed to be the only one to notice the strange interaction.

He had been surprised when Dinea had sat away from her irritating friends but now she was talking to Sejanus of all people.

She was definitely up to something and he would get to he bottom of it.

She met Sejanus in the library after class. There weren't many people around, and the librarian was busy somewhere far from them.

He stayed mostly silent, expanding on certain things he had written every now and then.

She needed to get the conversation started. But what could she talk about? A shared memory, maybe?

"Do you remember that field trip to the Capitol testing facility we went on when we were eleven?" she asked out of nowhere.

He was confused about the question but remembered the trip well. "The one where you dared Felix to sneak out one of the specimen; he was too scared so Clemensia went instead."

He laughed a bit, remembering how a little Clemmy was led out of a lab by her collar. She still hadn't lived it down.

"She got in so much trouble. A whole week's suspension," Hirudinea added with a giggle.

"What did you call Felix the next day again?" He asked

"I said he was so chicken, I could see the feathers growing out of his ass."

They both burst out laughing.

It was the most relaxed he had ever been around her.

It wasn't long before the librarian came over to shush them. They apologized and spoke with a quieter tone.

"You know, he made sure I wasn't invited to his birthday because of that. I hoped the party was a disaster. What did you think of it?"

"I, um, didn't get an invite either, remember?" Sejanus said with an awkward chuckle.

She did remember now. Hirudinea was the one to tell Felix not to invite the boy. In front of his face too. It didn’t do her any favors so she decided to change up the story a bit.

"Felix was such a jerk for doing that to you. I told him not to, but he never listens."

Sejanus vividly recalled her being in on it too but decided he remembered wrong. After all, she had been so nice today, why would she lie now?

The girl got somber all of a sudden, looking down shamefully.

"You know, I'm really sorry about how we all treated you in the past. You didn't deserve that." She hoped he didn't catch her false sincerity.

A small smile appeared on his face. "It's okay."

"Am I forgiven?" She playfully offered her hand to him.

"You're forgiven." He took her hand in a surprisingly firm handshake.

Hirudinea hung out with Sejanus often over the following weeks.

They established an easygoing friendship.

She made him swear to keep their friendship secret from Coriolanus, although he didn’t like it.

She didn't need her cousin sticking his nose in her business.

Sejanus came to trust the Snow girl to the point he spoke of his home in District 2 with her. She didn't say much about the topic during these conversations and he assumed it was because she wanted to listen intently. But the truth was she could hardly hold in her groan whenever he spoke of his old home.

‘Why is he reminiscing over THAT when he’s in the Capitol? How ungrateful can he be?’

She didn't abandon her objective of getting into his bed, pushing it as subtly as she could. A too-long hug here, a lingering hand on his thigh there. It always left him flustered.

He was fast developing a crush, and she knew it.

Soon enough, the moment of truth came. Sejanus had invited her to his place to hang out, and would make sure to be prepared.

It was almost time for Hirudinea to leave for Sejanus' house; she just needed to get some things in order.

Tigris was the only one at home and was holed up in her room. Hirudinea was thankful for this since her broken door lock provided no privacy for what she needed to next

She picked up a small foil packet from her lap. It was a condom. Without hesitation, she used one of Tigris smallest needles to poke holes through the protective barrier. She couldn't let Sejanus into her raw just yet; it had to look like an accident when she ended up pregnant.

When she felt like there were enough holes in the foil, she retrieved another and repeated the process.

Hirudinea sat on Sejanus bed.

He was in the kitchen getting her a glass of water, refusing to send an Avox. An act of rebellion against the status quo.

Hirudinea had to hold a fake smile through a brain-numbing conversation with Sejanus mother when she arrived. The woman was kind, but the lack of Capitol urgency made speaking with Mrs. Plinth feel like a chore. Thankfully, the woman had left to attend a party soon after, giving the two some privacy.

The girl dreaded having to hear Mrs. Plinth drone on about baby tips in the near future.

Hirudinea just wanted to get this over with and go home.

So she got up and stripped down to her lacy underwear. It had taken all her savings to afford them, but they would be worth it.

"Sej" She whispered the nickname seductively as he entered the room.

"Here you go..." He trailed off, closing the door behind him.

Sejanus paused. His face heated up as his eyes moved over her body once before snapping to her face.

"Come over here, Sej" she purred.

She brought her fingers to her mouth, twirling her tongue around them expertly. His jaw slacked.

Her fingers dropped to her panties next, slowly working the wetness into her entrance through the fabric.

His eyes were glued to the wet spot on her panties but his face was riddled with guilt.

"What about Hilarius? Aren't you together?" He asked

She freely rolled her eyes since he wasn't looking at her face. Only Sejanus would be worried about another man's relationship when a pretty girl was spread out before him.

"We broke up a while ago"

"I'm sorry"

She had no idea why he was apologizing.

"It doesn't matter. I want you"

His eyes snapped up. He was confused, but she gave him a soft smile, her eyes squinted ever so slightly, and his heart melted.

He placed the water down and moved over to Hirudinea.

Settling on the edge of the bed, He slowly brought his hand up to stroke her shin, moving up to her knee, then back down again.

"I want you too. I-I really like you, Hirudinea. I have for a while now”

'This is too easy'

All the lust gone from his eyes and replaced with something gentler. Hirudinea didn’t need that right now.

She took his hand from her cheek and slowly slid it to her waist

"It's okay, Sej, you can take what you want. I want you to"

That last statement was all he needed.

Sejanus surged forward over her and captured her lips in the most gentle kiss possible. It didn't last long, as she opened her mouth and initiated a deeper kiss. It was wet and hot. She wondered if the sloppiness of the kiss was due to a lack of experience or his need for her. She decided it was the latter when she felt his growing erection against her core.

Hirudinea lifted her hands to his curls, tugging at the strands, earning a deep groan.

He pushed his tongue into her mouth, licking at her tongue, her teeth, anything he could reach. The hairs on her arms stood up as she moaned softly at his need.

His lips moved down from her mouth to the curve of her neck, licking and sucking at her skin until he arrived at the cup of her bra.

He looked up, asking for permission to remove the article of clothing. She nodded, biting her lip.

He struggled for a second but once it was off, he sat back on his heels. Looking at the beautiful woman before him.

He was in absolute awe, and it was making her impatient.

Hirudinea raised her hands to her breasts, squeezing them harshly and moaning his name.

Almost immediately Sejanus reacted, wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her onto his lap.

With his height and powerful build, she shouldn't have been surprised by his strength. She kind of liked the way his big arms held her so firmly...

He buried his face in her breasts, nuzzling into her and taking in her scent, before turning to take a nipple into his mouth. His tongue laved over the sensitive spot as he breathed heavily into her chest. Her other breast occupied by his hand which squeezed her gently.

"Oh, Sej" she breathed, leaning into his touch.

"Take off your clothes, baby" she said.

She didn't have to tell him twice. He laid her down, kissing her softly, before rising to pull off his clothes.

She bit her lip as each piece of clothing fell away from his body. His boxers were the last to go, and she gasped when she saw what was beneath them.

His rock hard member was long and wide as it stood at attention, curving slightly to the left. The head of his cock was an angry red and the veins around the shaft were strained with his need.

Underneath Sejanus’ shaft were his large balls, they sat heavily, ready to be emptied. His hair was trimmed neatly.

She knew he was big from the outline in his trousers when he was flaccid but she never imagined this.

She mentally prepared herself to take him, having never been with anyone so well endowed.

It didn't take Sejanus long to grasp the edges of her panties and pull them over her legs, adding them to the pile of clothes on the floor.

She wasn't expecting him to brush over her clit high his fingers. She gasped at the tingles it sent down her legs.

“I want to touch you, can I?” He asked with a politeness that didn’t belong in the bedroom.

"There's no need for that, Sej. I want you inside me" she said with a laugh.

"Please baby, let me make you feel good" he begged.

As much as she wanted to get to fucking, she supposed she could allow herself a treat.

'I might as well get off since I'm already here'

"Okay, baby. Go ahead"

Rubbing over her clit with his thumb, his middle finger teased her entrance.

"Mmm" she sighed. Pressing her head back against the bedding

After a few more swipes with his thumb, his middle finger began to work its way in. He pushed in as far as he could go, stopping when his knuckles met her mound.

Her back arched up from the bed as his finger brushed over that spot inside her.

Sejanus could help but groan at the way her walls gripped his finger. He imagined what she would feel like around his cock.

Her wetness coated his finger as he began pumping into her core and before long, he added a second finger, stretching her out. She cooed and rocked her hips against his hand.

She moved her hips in time with Sejanus’s movements. Spearing herself down on his fingers. A coil had begun to wind itself in her abdomen, begging to snap.

"Oh Sej, I need more"

He pumped harder, adding a third finger. Wet sounds filled the room.

That was it.

Hirudinea threw her head back, hands squeezing the sheets as she writhed against them, crying out her pleasure.

”Yes, Sej!”

The bliss was so intense her vision whited out temporarily.

As she came down, still letting out soft moans, she wondered why she had never come that hard when Hilarius had fingered her, or any of the other boys.

But she didn't have time to think about that, not when she needed Sejanus’s cum inside her.

"I need you in me, baby," she pleaded.

He didn’t need much convincing. He was aching and ready to burst.

Reaching under the pillow, she revealed one of the tampered-with condoms she hid there and with a naughty expression tore the foil open and slid it onto him.

He climbed over her as she spread her legs wider.

Holding himself up by his forearms and knees, he lined up his cock with her entrance.

“Are you sure” he asked, needing her explicit consent.

“Fuck me, Sejanus” was all she said.

He pressed against her entrance and took his time pushing in. He couldn’t get enough of the way her gummy walls bared down on his cock but didn’t want to hurt her.

The stretch was uncomfortable but she would have to manage. She she brought her legs up and used them to put slight pressure on his hips which spurred him to relent and slide home.

His cock was stuffed into her as far as it could go, making him groan uncontrollably. The feeling of her around him was better than anything he'd imagined.

"You feel amazing," he grunted out.

He didn't move for a second, enjoying the fit. But soon enough, he was gently thrusting.

Hirudinea wasn't satisfied his pace, "Harder, baby" she demanded.

He obeyed and began thrusting hard and fast. He tried to control himself, letting out grunts of passion, but they quickly turned into "oh"s and "ugh"s.

"Does my pussy feel good, Sej. Do you like the way I squeeze your huge cock" she asked with a sexy voice.

"Feels so good, baby. Ughhh"

His upper body fell a bit, letting half of his weight pin her to the bed as he shoved his cock deeper into her pussy, hitting her cervix. His forehead resting against his lovers.

Wet squelching sounds filled the room as his cock went in and out and in and out. Her hands ran over his bare back, pulling him into a passionate kiss.

Although she felt some discomfort with the way he was pressing against her cervix, she let out moans at the stimulation to that sensitive spot inside her. No inch of her pussy was left untouched by his thick cock.

Her sweet sounds fueled his relentless thrusts, and she didn't mind. It was actually really hot.

His hands found her knees, pushing them against the bed to spread her wide open for him. This was hot. She could feel another orgasm building within her.

If only her grandma'am could see her now, legs wide open and spilling soft noises as a district boy ruts against her. The old woman would certainly have a heart attack.

Sejanus pulled away from her lips to look deep into her eyes. It felt as if he were staring at her soul.

"Your eyes are so pretty," he whispered. The softness of his voice didn't match his thrusts.

She was dumb-struck. This hadn't happened to her during sex before; it usually came before sex to lull her into a false sense of security. She needed whatever he was doing to stop.

Splaying her hands out on the back of his head, she guided him to look down at where they were joined.

'This will distract him'

It worked. Sejanus groaned loudly as he watched his cock push and pull from her core covered in her slick. He stayed like that for a minute or two, allowing her to enjoy the feeling of his cock scraping against her g-spot, but then the spell wore off of him, and he was looking into her eyes again.

"So beautiful"

He had caught her out of left field. She didn't know what to do, so she pulled him close and buried her face in his neck, breathing in the citrus-y scent of his shampoo.

He was getting there; she could tell by the way his body was stiffening and the way his movements were getting jerkier. She was close too, moans falling from her lips like a waterfall.

"I'm so close. Are you gonna cum, Sej?"

"I'm going to come so hard, baby," he groaned, body continuing to tighten.

"Then fucking cum," She said through gritted teeth as her second orgasm hit her. She cursed out loud, feeling the waves of ecstasy wash over her.

He moaned her name as his end hit him hard, spurred on by the tightening of her cunt. "Fuck, I'm cummin'," he paused, pushing flush against her before beginning to thrust faster and shallower, his rhythm completely lost.

His eyes nearly crossed at the pleasure. Rope after role of cum filled the condom, and Hirudinea smiled to herself, knowing it was leaking into her womb. He moaned loudly.

“OHHHhhhh…”

His arms gave out, and he fell fully on top of her, but she wasn't bothered by his weight. He once again nuzzled into her breasts as his breathing evened out.

"Mmm, You smell good," he murmured.

She gave him a few moments before gently pushing him off and rolling on top of him. Removing herself from his cock, she carefully took the condom off under the guise of helping through the post-coital haze, pecking the tip of his nose before standing up. She disposed of the rubber before beginning to dress.

"You don't have to leave yet; my Ma won't be back for a while,"

Hirudinea cringed at his use of District 2 vernacular.

She hoped their child would never address her in such a manner. She preferred a distinguished 'mother' or 'ma'am'

"I should get home. I don't want to worry anyone"

She was a little peeved when Sejanus insisted on walking her to the Corso.

He had escorted her home before, but tonight, his incessant need to smile like an idiot the entire time was pissing her off.

Walking side by side, the backs of their hands brushed occasionally, sending sparks up his arm. Eventually, Sejanus takes the initiative to grasp her hand in his own, entwining their fingers.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" He asked hopefully

"I would like that." She feigned bashfulness.

When they arrived the door of the Corso, she refused to let him take her any further, saying, "My grandma'am won't like to see me with a boy this late."

It convinced him to let Hirudinea off here, not wanting to get her in trouble. He did ask for one more kiss though, which she allowed. It was sweet and light.

"Goodnight, Dinea" he said as the door closed behind her.

The journey upstairs gave her time to think about what had just happened.

Her periods were infrequent, only coming every three months or so. So she would have to get pregnancy tested at the hospital. But how would she afford it?

It was only when she reached the penthouse that she realized he had called her by her nickname.

'What gives him the righ-'

The door burst open to reveal an upset Corio.

"Where were you!?" He yelled.

Hirudinea rolled her eyes and pushed past him.

She went straight to her room and laid back on the mattress, picking up a magazine to flip through.

Corio had decided not to let it go and ended up standing over her with his arms folded.

"If you must know, I was with someone" she finally said after a minute of him just staring.

"With who?"

"That little friend of yours, the one from District 2," she waved her hand as if trying to recall his name. As if she hadn’t been screaming it out an hour ago.

"Sejanus?"

"Sejanus! That's the one. We were studying at his house"

"He's not my friend, Dinea. I tolerate him, but you don't, and the last time I saw you study, we were still using crayons. So you should understand why I don’t believe that’s what were you really doing there?"

Dinea stood up at full height and jabbed her finger into his chest. "I don't need to explain myself to you, Corio. You're not my dad"

"I might as well be, since Tigris and I have been carrying your weight ever since we were kids, just because you're grandma'am's golden child. You've never achieved anything by yourself!” His frustration was evident in his voice.

"Is that what this is about? You're looking for a reason to get me in trouble with grandma'am. You're pitiful, Corio," she laughed and walked into the living room. "It's no wonder your mother died trying to replace you; you know, old Crassus Snow probably killed himself in 12 to get away from you too"

Coriolanus' face hardened as he began marching over to her.

She always dealt out the low-blow in an argument.

Tigris came out of her room at just the right moment, "What's going on, you two?"

"Go on, Corio. Tell her the great sin I committed," Hirudinea pressed. She knew Corio would look like he was overreacting if Tigris knew the fight was over Dinea hanging out with Sejanus, whom Corio himself hangs out with.

"Nothing," the young man huffed.

As the family dispersed, Hirudinea called out to the blonde boy,

"Don't worry about what I'm doing. Remember, snow lands on top" she assured.

Part two

How do you feel about Hirudinea and Sejanus? I'm really interested in your thoughts on Dinea and the things she’s doing!

Please like and reblog, if you feel like. Your feedback and interactions keeps me motivated XO

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reggies-fake-horcrux · 1 year

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James: I am NOT an academic weapon

regulus: yeah, you're more like an academic trench

james: ...

james: okay, I'm at least an academic butter knife it's not THAT bad

#me and by bestie after failing the same quiz today #mauraders #marauders fandom #hp marauders #regulus black #james potter #barty crouch jr #regulus and evan and barty #barty crouch junior #evan rosier #rosekiller #barty x evan

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viarayy01-blog · 10 months

Text

Inside The Heart - Chapter 2

viarayy01 - previous chapter here

Even with the twelve hours of rest he had gotten, Evan still groaned when he was woken by someone shaking his shoulder. He swiped away at the hand that gripped his arm and pulled the covers completely over his head. It only took a second for the cool air to hit him once again.

“Five more minutes.” He mumbled. He pulled his legs to his chest and reached at the bottom of his bed for his blanket.

Whoever was in his room groaned and tugged Evans reaching arm until he flipped around to face them.

“Evan. You gotta get up. Dads calling for you.”

Without another word Evan sat up and wiped the sleep from his eyes. Looking up at the perpetrator of his sleep, he instantly recoiled. Micheal.

“Seriously. I would hurry down if you don't want to get a scolding.” Said his older brother with a tang of British accent. Evan nodded cautiously and watched Micheal leave his bedroom. Mike slowly closed the door and yelled something to their father from the top of the stairs.

He stared at his closed door for a few seconds before blinking and jumping off of his mattress. The clock next to his bed read 6:45. If he got ready quick enough, he could rush to school in time to meet up with Cassidy before the bell rang–

Ah. Cassidy.

Evan combed through his hair with a sigh and pushed his slippers on. Facing his closet, he pulled out a loose sweater that had two light gray lines on the elbow of the sleeves. He tossed on the shirt, chose a pair of pants, and washed his face in the bathroom he shared with his sister. Makeup and various other skincare products crowded her side of the sink.

He pushed a few things away from his side and fiddled with his hair in the mirror. The bathroom light made his swollen eyebags look incredibly unappealing, but he tried his best not to focus on them. Finally satisfied with his appearance, he grabbed his messenger bag from his bedside and flew down the stairs as quickly as possible.

“Good morning, Evan.” Said his father, William Afton, from behind the sink. “There's a piece of toast on the island for you. Micheal made it while you were busy wasting your time up there. Try to hurry up in the future. Your lucky Micheal was in a good enough mood to make you anything.” He gestured to Micheal, who was sitting on the couch with his own piece of extremely burnt toast.

Evan nodded at him and pulled the food off of the paper towel Micheal had laid it on. “One time thing. Jam is on the table.” Micheal said to him between bites.

“Oh. Thanks.” He replied. William turned off the sink behind him and wiped his hands on a towel.

“Micheal, have you seen Elizabeth this morning? There were an obscene amount of dishes in the sink when I woke up. Seems like she was in a rush.” William called as he slipped on his coat. Well, that explained the mess in the bathroom. Micheal moved into the kitchen and emptied the crumbs from his plate into the sink.

“She left early for school.” He waved around the butter knife he had used for his food. “Club stuff or something.”

Evan sat on one of the barstools and splattered grape jam on the bread. “I…I remember her mentioning that she likes to leave early to hang out with her friends at the gas station..” He said quietly. William stopped wrestling with his coat and clenched his jaw.

Micheal stopped scrubbing his plate and flicked his head around. His eyes shot open and he chewed on his lip. Evan shook his head and furrowed his brows. Did he miss something or…?

“That godforsaken girl. Well. I'm going to have to tell her something about that afterschool. Cant have her wasting time like that, or even worse, wasting her money getting into trouble. If she's not going to do anything academic in the mornings, she's not going to be going out anywhere for fun either.” William replied gruffly. He twirled his keys on his index finger and opened the garage door. “Goodbye, boys.” He didn't wait for their response before slamming it shut. Evan and Micheal stood silently until they heard his car pull out of the driveway.

Micheal shoved his plate into the open dishwasher and kicked it shut. “You just had to go and open your mouth Ev.” He sighed. Evan drew back from his seat.

“What?”

Micheal leaned against the counter and rubbed his face.

“I said , you just had to say something to get Liz in trouble. You and I both know that she's not studying in the mornings when she leaves early. Or hell, that she's studying ever. She's going out to screw around with guys or something. And now father knows. She's gonna kill you. Better yet, he's going to kill you for lying when she weasels her way out of it!” He laughed. Evan swallowed the lump in his throat.

“I- I didn't know he’d get upset!” He threw his hands in the air. The paper thin relationship he had with Elizabeth was already on the verge of tearing. “Maybe he will forget. Maybe she really was out studying! I really didn't mean to.” Evan cursed himself as tears began to trickle onto the marble. Micheal nervously flung off the counter and looked downwards at his brother.

“Hey, I'm not mad, it's fine. Just keep your mouth shut next time alright? Last thing I need is dad finding out what I do after school, too. Okay? Everyones on edge already with mom gone. Elizabeth really doesn't need another thing harboring on her mind.”

Evan immediately met his brother's gaze, wanting to move as far away from this conversation and his tears as possible. “Okay. I'm really sorry.” Micheal gave him a thankful look and snatched the half eaten bread from Evans hands.

“You better go if you don't want to be late. I gotta go anyway. Someones gotta warn Liz that she's in deep shit when dad gets home.” He groaned. “Scram.” Evan did as he was told and left the house without another word.

The cool air hit his face as he ran down the sidewalk and through his neighborhood. He was thankful that he had stopped crying, it was never something he really had control over.

He was also thankful for Micheals shockingly good mood. If he had something like that a few months prior, his brother would have left him with more than just tears.

It was almost too good to be true.

Almost.

Hopefully things at school would go over a lot smoother than home…

– – – – –

Unfortunately for Evan, the only thing that was smoother at school than at home was the plastic texture of the bathroom floors against his face. Cool, sticky, and crawling with germs.

His head rang amongst the laughter of the kids who had sent him falling to the ground, some recurring bullies from his time at middle school. He didn't really know any of them, not anymore anyway. It had been a few months since the bullies had stopped targeting him. Right around the same time that Micheal had stopped sending Evan to bed with enough nightmares to paralyze him. The only one he truly recognized as he crawled off of the floor was Fritz, a kid who not too long ago had been a good acquaintance of his.

Well, maybe a bit more than not too long ago. Give or take five ish years.

Somehow, they looked the exact same, like time had never touched them as they grew into secondary school. Their hair color was similar to Elizabeth’s but slightly lighter. One of their eyes was a blinding light blue and the other was a chocolate brown.

“Fritz, he's staring at you.” One of the other boys snickered. Evan wiped his face and tried to move away from the group. Fritz lunged out and grabbed his arm before he could get away. “Yeah. He’s always had a problem with staring, haven't you, Afton?” They sneered before shoving Evan into one of the bathroom doors. “You really haven't changed, crybaby.”

Evan squirmed around and tried to break free, but to no avail. “I- I haven't even done anything to you guys! Please just let me go!”

The room erupted with laughter and Fritz dug their nails into Evans arms. “Exactly. Without Cassidy here to protect you, we figured you might need a reminder of what you really are.” Without another word, they motioned behind them and the tallest boy in the group, one with straight black hair, walked forward and gave Evan a swift punch to the gut. He doubled over as Fritz released him from the wall. Tears poured out of his eyes for the second time that day with no sign of stopping. He buried his face into his knees and prayed they would just kill him.

Fritz stood over Evan and glared down at him.

“Really.” They laughed. “You are still the same weak and worthless little wuss that your brother tried to kill all those years ago.” He leaned down and pushed Evan over with his shoe. “Don’t forget that. Otherwise we might have to give you another reminder, and I really don't know if your stomach could take another punch like that—“ Fritz continued, only to be interrupted by the bathroom door flinging open. Evan peered around Fritz to see who had been unfortunate enough to walk in at this exact moment. The only thing he managed to catch before someone started screaming were neon blue sneakers slamming upwards into one of the bullies legs.

Fritz quickly turned around at the sudden noise, his fists already clenched. “What the hell—?” They said.

Evan clawed at his chest and managed to get a better angle from the floor.

Standing far shorter than the other boys in the bathroom was Gregory, bending his knee back and forth as his sneakers slid on the linoleum. “Think I pulled a muscle doing that. Did the job, though.” He grinned. Evan glanced at the still wincing bully Gregory had kicked to the ground. He guessed it was the same one who had screamed. The tallest kid pulled the injured boy away from the center of the room and leaned him against the wall.

“Gregory! Stay outta this, you don’t even know him!” Fritz yelled, shuffling slightly backwards and away from him.

“Yeah, but I do know you, Fritz. And I also know that your one incident away from landing yourself in the principal's office. So my best advice to you is to get outta my way. I don’t really think you wanna risk getting kicked out of this school.” Gregory sneered. He looked way more pleased with himself than frightened, a reaction that Evan deemed completely unreasonable in this situation.

Even with his oddly shaped cowlick, Gregory barely stood above the height of a fourth grader, a trait that Fritz and the other bullies did not possess. From an outsider's point of view, this fight would’ve end in a blink.

Still, when Gregory stepped closer to Fritz, they moved away. When Gregory raised his fist and shoved it against Fritz’s face, the other bullies stood back to watch. When Gregory pulled Evan off the floor and supported him out the door, they let him go.

No fight. No backlash.

They just watched him leave.

“You alright? Looks like Nathan gave you a really nasty punch back there.” Gregory said as he helped Evan sit on one of the outdoor benches. Voices flooded the outside tables. He had almost forgotten it was still lunch.

“Yeah. It’s fine. Not the worst i’ve been punched.” Evan wiped his eyes and plastered on a reassuring smile. Gregory quirked his eyebrow but didn’t inquire about it further.

“So, your name's Evan right? Cassidy’s friend?” He asked. Evan nodded. “I figured. I heard them mention her name outside the door and figured she wasn’t here today.” Evan nodded again.

“She had something to take care of. Probably why they decided that today would be the day to give me a good punch.” He grimaced. He knew that Cassidy was good at keeping bullies away, but he didn’t realize that she was the only thing between him and permanent chest pain. Gregory laughed a bit and sat across from him on the adjacent bench.

“Sounds like something Fritz would do.” He hummed.

They sat in silence for a moment, only the sounds of the lunchroom and classrooms echoing around them before Evan cleared his throat.

“Th-thanks, by the way. You didn’t have to do that for me back there.” Evan mumbled. He chewed the inside of his cheek.

Gregory shook his head and crossed his legs. “Are you kidding? Thank you for letting me beat the shit out of Fritz Figueroa. I’ve been wanting to do that for forever!” He laughed.

“Plus, I’ve been wanting to get to know you for a bit. You seem like a really cool kid, Ev.” Gregory said, completely nonchalant. His amber eyes blinked patiently at the frozen boy across from him. Evan held his breath and let his own eyes open wide.

Nobody had ever said something like that to him before.

Before he could open his mouth to respond, the lunch bell rang and the outdoor area they were sitting in slowly drained of people.

Gregory tugged at Evans arm and pulled him off of the wooden bench. “C'mon! Let's get to class. English next, right?” He asked.

“Y-yeah. English.” He stuttered. Gregory let another infectious smile break out and pulled Evan into the school.

— — — — —

For the first time ever in his life, Evan was wishing that he had been bullied sooner.

There was no word to describe how easily Gregory clicked with him and how quickly they fell into conversation. It was almost a little scary to Evan. He didn’t know that he could ever be friends with anyone other than Cassidy.

Classes flew by like nothing and Gregory did everything he could to pair up with Evan in every single period. Really . Every single class.

By the end of the day, Evan felt like a million bucks. He liked that Gregory could make him feel less alone. He liked having someone who wanted to be friends with him.

It made everything fade away.

“No really. I mean it.” Gregory said confidently. “You should come hang out afterschool.”

They were sitting in the art room where they had spent their last period. Gregory was perched on one of the open windowsills’ and Evan was in his assigned seat.

Evans' eyes popped out of his head and he opened his mouth. “W-what?” Had he really heard that correctly?

Gregory took in his expression and burst out into laughter.

“Wow. I kinda knew that Cassidy had severed you from the rest of the world but I didn't know it was this bad.” He continued laughing. Evan flinched at the mention of Cassidy’s name but tried to fake a smile. Gregory flipped his hair back and out of his face, catching Evans' eye.

“Oh shit. Sorry.” He reached for his face. “I shouldn’t have said that.” He laced his fingers against his backpack strap. “Cassie says I don't know when to shut up. Actually, I'm pretty sure everybody in my family says that.” He chuckled.

“Cassie’s in your family?” Evan rested his arm on his desk. He knew that adoption was pretty common nowadays but had no idea that Cassie was one of those kids.

Gregory’s eyebrows shot up and he leaned against the classroom window. “Oh! No. Well not traditionally anyway. Metaphorical family. Like, she’s always hanging out with me and my dad’s so I just consider her part of it. Found family or whatever.” He waved his hands around to abbreviate. “Like a family friend who you call uncle or cousin. If that makes sense.”

Immediately Evans' mind wandered to his Uncle Henry, and his “cousins” Charlie and Sammy. “That makes sense. I call my dad’s business partner Uncle just because of how long they’ve known each other. I don't see him much anymore since he moved, but I get what you mean.” Gregory clapped his hands together and pointed at him.

“Yeah! Exactly! Majority of my family is actually like that.” He continued. The air conditioning kicked on and a light breeze ruffled his hair. “My aunt’s Chica and Roxane are married, and of course there's my dads, but my Uncle Monty and Uncle Eclipse are not blood related at all. Everyone just grew up together and ended up sticking like glue throughout college. Forming my weird, but somehow cohesive, family.” He sighed.

Evan stared at him dumbfounded. Ignoring the very strange names all of the adults in Gregory’s life possessed, he had never heard of a group of people quite like how Gregory described his family. Nobody was blood related? Everyone just stayed together because they were that great of friends? It sounded so unreal. It sounded too good to be true.

It sounded nothing like his family.

Gregory nodded and bounced off the window.

“Anywho, you up for a little after school fun? You’ll get to meet my aunts if you tag along.” He said enticingly. Evan rubbed his hand up and down his sleeve.

“Are you sure? I don't want to be in the way.” He still wasn’t convinced that Gregory hasn’t been doing this as an elaborate act to make Evan look like a complete idiot. It was one thing to hang out at school. It was another to hang out afterwards, too.

But it only took a second for Gregory to meet his gaze. “Dude. Of course I'm sure. You’ve had a pretty awful day, I think you deserve to have a break from it all. A break with your super cool new friend, Moi.” He laughed.

Gregory offered him a hand and smiled as brightly as he could.

And for once, Evan smiled right back.

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