Thursday – 7:03 AM

The morning light filtered lazily through the guest room window. Gluestick stretched at the edge of your bed, paws in the air, soft snoring audible if you really leaned in.

You blinked up at the ceiling, Scaramouche's hoodie still draped around you like armor.

The room was quiet, eerily so. You could hear Ei in the kitchen, her heels clicking against the tile floor, low murmurs from a call she was on.

It wasn't home. But it wasn't suffocating either. And your mind, for once, was quiet.

There was a dull ache in your chest, the kind that lingers after a storm. But it wasn't unbearable. Especially with the echo of his voice still fresh in your head.

"You're mine."

You smiled.
 

8:24 AM

You weren't sure what to expect when you walked back into school. But it wasn't silence. Or peace.

The tension in the halls lingered, heavier than usual. Eyes followed your steps. Conversations slowed whenever you got too close. Phones flashed to black screens the second you turned your head.

You didn't have to hear the words again to know they hadn't stopped.

Whispers carried more weight when you already knew what they meant. The weight of curiosity. Judgment. Jealousy.

You spotted Fischl near her locker.

"Fishy, did I miss something while I was gone?" you whispered, sliding up next to her.

Fischl blinked, then grinned. "You're alive?"

You tackled her in a hug. "Barely."

"God, don't scare me like that again, y/n. I had to hang out with Mona all day yesterday. She made me eat tofu....."

You gave her a deadpanned stare

Fischl clears her throat,"I-i mean nothing the prinzessin der verurteilung can't handle !!"

"Sounds traumatic." You say rolling your eyes

"Oh please !!"

You snorted. "Yeah, well... I'm better now." You lowered your voice. "And things are... well I don't really know how to say it but-"

Fischl blinked. "Nein! Speak no more dear friend of mine, for I know about the turmoil you've come to tell me!"

You stared blankly at her as she posed, she was practically glistening making it hard to continue looking at her.

"Yeah okay sure right... so anyways me and Scaramouche talked yesterday and we're together now.."

"OH. MY. GOD. TELL ME EVERYTHING—"

"NOT HERE," you hissed, pulling her away from a group of first-years who were visibly eavesdropping.

Even as you laughed, your stomach turned with the knowledge that not everything had been left behind in yesterday's panic.

Photography – 1:10 PM

Scaramouche didn't speak when you walked into class.

But he pulled out the chair next to him. Didn't even look up. Just nudged it gently with his foot, as if to say sit.

You did.

He passed you a note halfway through class, the paper folded like a fortune cookie.

you good?

I'm okay. You scribbled back people are talking again. but I'm okay.

He didn't write back. But his hand found yours under the desk, fingers brushing once, then settling beside yours. Close. Quiet.

You smiled. Until you heard the click. The unmistakable shutter of a phone camera.

You turned just in time to see a girl near the back snicker and quickly lower her phone.

Scaramouche saw it too. His jaw locked.

"Ignore it," you murmured, squeezing his pinky. "Please."

He didn't look convinced.

3:42 PM – After school

You and Fischl were sitting under a tree, homework half-done, soda cans half-empty.

"You really think the rumors are just gonna die off?" you asked.

Fischl leaned back. "They'll move on eventually. Especially if someone else has a public breakdown."

"Wow, that's comforting."

She shrugged. "High school is a hellscape. You're lucky you have someone like Scaramouche. He'll burn it down if they keep pushing."

You laughed. Then paused.

"They said something about his mom today. That I'm using him to get to her."

Fischl frowned.

"How would they even know who Ei is to you?" she asked slowly.

You thought about it. "I never said anything."

Fischl looked genuinely uneasy now. "Then someone else did."

Your phone buzzed. You nearly dropped it.

Ei: I think we need to talk.

Your heart jumped into your throat and you replied quickly. "I'll be back by 5"

5:03 PM

Back at Ei's place, Gluestick purred on your lap as you sat curled into the couch, your thoughts tangled up in the single word on Ei's screen.

Yoimiya.

She was close. Closer than ever.

And for some reason, that scared you more than anything.