#bc watch me not write again for 43284 more years

[crystallizsch]

A Reunion

yuusha tala x jamil viper (oc x canon) word count: 800+ words cw: n/a??? i guess??? pure fluff jumpscare. notes: takes place post-nrc, several years after graduation, both of them haven't kept in touch in all those years, inspired by this lmao.

Jamil Viper.

That was him alright. Right there. Standing straight and proud with an air of confidence. At least that's what it appeared to be. He always knew how to fool people.

But Yuusha had learned how to see through his disguise.

She had to admit, he'd changed — at least on the surface, mostly. But she still recognized him to be the same as ever. Jamil still kept his hair long — styled in intricate braids and decorated with golden accessories.

Oh, how she wanted to run her hands along those silky tresses again, hearing the soft bells ring that were tied in his hair.

And then he turned.

Shit.

The eye contact.

And Yuusha was entranced all over again, falling into the soft darkness of his eyes.

She was quite sure no magic was at play. Not this time.

The girl felt her breath hitch in her throat, her feet heavy and frozen in place, and her arms stuck to her sides. She couldn't move.

But she wanted to run. Run.

That's what she was good at anyway. It seemed like she also hadn't changed.

Would she run towards him or in the opposite direction of where he was?

Admittedly, the latter felt more tempting.

It didn't help that he decided to make the first move. Jamil walked with a strut in his step. He'd look so sure of himself if it weren't for the expression on his face betraying it.

Again, Yuusha could see past his disguise.

Run away. Just run. He doesn't deserve you.

Jamil stopped in front of her as if he was just meeting someone casually. Although looking at him, his face was plastered with so many emotions—guilt, sadness… relief?

He was the first to speak.

"Yuu, I—"

As if compelled by a powerful force, Yuusha pushed herself into his arms the moment his voice reached her ears. She let out a shaky breath as if she had been holding it in this entire time.

Jamil stood there momentarily stunned. He had expected a slap, a punch, some kind of verbal abuse, or simply just a pained look on her face that would guilt him to hell and back.

He didn't expect…

This.

Yuusha didn't expect to fold this way either. All her feelings of anger, bitterness, and resignation throughout the years dissipated as soon as she buried her face in his shoulder.

She missed him. She missed him so much.

There was a heaviness in her heart that was lifted. A heaviness she didn't even realize she had been carrying.

Jamil's arms awkwardly floated around her sides, not knowing what to do with them. When she embraced him tighter, he finally felt his disposition crumble against his will.

His arms snaked around Yuusha like a whiplash, burying his face in the crook of her neck as he squeezed his eyes shut. He'd gotten taller since then. It was funny seeing their height difference now, although Yuusha was still fairly taller than the average girl.

Jamil thought this to himself as if to try to distract himself from tears forming in his eyes.

He hated to admit it, but he missed this just as much. He missed her embrace. He missed her presence.

But Jamil had no room to talk because he had caused this anyway. He was the one who had denied himself these feelings.

They didn't know how much time had passed until they decided to finally, regrettably, pull apart. Both of their faces were visibly flushed.

Yuusha sniffled with a teasing smile on her face. "It's been a while, vice housewarden."

"You can't call me that anymore… prefect," Jamil quipped back.

Yuusha let out a genuine laugh.

He missed that too — their banter. The sound of her voice, her laugh, the way her eyes flickered with mischief, and how her lips quirked up with childlike joy.

It was as if all those years without each other were nothing but a blink in the grand scheme of things.

Jamil didn't want to lose this again. Not anymore. He'd make sure of it this time.