#school is so.. evil | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

merakiui · 1 year

Note

Absolutely love the possessive ex Scaramouche ramble in tags, please feed us more of that.

Gladly!! :D

(cw: yandere, extremely toxic ex scara, modern au, unhealthy behaviors/relationship, stalking, coercion, obsession, forced marriage, violent/suicidal threats, manipulation, mentions of intoxication/alcohol, implied self-harm)

The two of you were what everyone calls ‘high school sweethearts.’ You met him in the cafeteria when the both of you were first years. Despite the scowl etched on his face, he looked lonely sitting all by himself while everyone was finding tables, old and new friends gathering in groups. He’d ignored you, even scooting further away when you’d attempt to move closer. Even though he seemed so averse to you, you remained, silently eating your lunch. Neither of you said anything, but you did introduce yourself. He scoffed under his breath.

You started to sit next to him for every lunch, and he continued to give you the silent treatment. You never pressed him for conversation, instead choosing to enjoy silence while you ate and admired him from the sidelines. He never looked at you, always facing forwards and toying with his chopsticks, bending them so far until they were ready to snap. Eventually, he seemed to grow accustomed to this routine because many weeks into the semester he turned to address you.

“Why do you always sit by me? Don’t you have anyone else to bother?”

“Maybe. But I don’t think anyone’s as mysterious as you are.”

“‘Mysterious…’ Yeah, whatever.”

That seemed to be the catalyst because, as sardonic as he was, he’d begun talking to you. And it wasn’t long until he started to warm up to you every lunch until the both of you were exchanging lighthearted banter. Your friendship would only grow from this point onwards until, at the end of your first year during a study session to prepare for finals, where you were both pulling an all-nighter at your house, he’d asked you out. And you said yes, and the both of you had gone from best friends to lovers within the span of a year. The both of you were each other’s first partner, so it made doing things as a couple even more exciting because neither of you had any experience with dates or holding hands or kissing.

Kuni wasn’t a bad boyfriend. In fact, he was very loyal and sweet. He’d stand up for you if anyone was being rude to you or scrutinizing your relationship with hateful eyes. The two of you were nearly inseparable. When you weren’t spending time together in school, you were out doing things together. And when you couldn’t meet up in person, you’d text or call, sometimes talking late into the evening about all sorts of things. You were so immersed in him that you failed to notice the red flags slowly raising over time. But looking back there were a few notable ones.

He never invited you to his house. In fact, you’d never even met his parents, whereas he’d been to your home so often that your family practically became his own. He hadn’t mentioned anything about his family, and if you tried to suggest going to his house for dinner so that he could introduce you to them he was quick to change the subject. For a while you’d push this, more curious than concerned, but eventually you’d drop it when it became clear that he wasn’t going to divulge anything on the matter. That had stung, but you snuffed those feelings in favor of focusing on other aspects of your relationship.

The second red flag was just how clingy he became when the both of you were in your third year, having been together for two solid years. You never noticed it before because you loved him, but when friends had pointed out how attached he seemed—and it was to rather unhealthy levels, according to their observations—to the point where you were the only person he’d ever formed a bond with while at school you started to see the cracks in what felt like the perfect relationship. He’d text you every single day, at every single hour, all the time. He’d call you nonstop, even more so when you didn’t immediately pick up.

The third red flag coincided with the second. When you couldn’t make it to your phone, he was quick to blame himself and those around him for being responsible for your deteriorating relationship. Did I do something wrong? Are you mad at me? Did those guys bother you again? They probably told you some stupid shit about me, right? Don’t listen to them. Hey, you’re not mad, right? Call me back. I need to talk to you. Just text me when you can, okay? (Name), please don’t leave me. I’ll fix whatever’s wrong. Just promise you’ll stay. Messages of these kinds were what you could expect to receive from him. He’d fluctuate between self-loathing to loathing those around him within seconds, shoving blame onto classmates who’d bully him for being that “weird emo kid with too many piercings” and anyone else who tried to, in his words, “come between you and me.”

By the end of your third year, you started to fall out of love. He was so very dedicated to this relationship, evidenced by how much effort and care he’d put into it, but his clingy behavior was stifling. You’d lost some of your own friends because he chased them away, and it felt like you couldn’t do anything without him breathing down your neck. If you wanted to go anywhere with a friend or two, Kuni had to be there to accompany you. If you looked at another for too long, he’d think you were cheating. If you didn’t text or call him at certain times, if you failed to pick up, or—Archons forbid—you left him on seen, he’d spiral.

Kuni had this habit of sounding dangerously self-destructive when he feared you were being unfaithful or he thought you were going to break up with him, which meant you’d have to sit on the phone for hours convincing him that you loved him, that you’d never leave him, that you’d always be here for him, that you were sorry for not responding, that he needs to calm down and please, please, please don’t do anything rash. Those phone calls were always so stressful. You cried a lot; you’d beg him to put the knife away when he’d threaten to use it on himself, on you, on anyone who might try to take you from him. And, after a few hours of this, he’d be back to his usual self, as if a switch had been flipped. You could hear his adoring smile in his voice when he spoke, when he’d lovingly whisper into the phone, “I’m happy you’re mine. I love you so much.” And you’d shakily parrot the affirmation, too frazzled to say or do anything else.

One of your best friends Rosalyne, who you’d befriended in the midst of all of this, had been so supportive the minute you spilled the truth to her. Kuni hated her the most because she wasn’t afraid of him. Because she’d shut him down when he tried to pull you away from her. Because she wouldn’t approve of any of his toxicity. Rosalyne would take you on shopping sprees, brunch dates, and jogs at the local park. She was plenty of good to outshine Kuni’s bad, and the more time you spent with her the clearer your head would become. The both of you had plenty of sleepovers together, and she let you rant your heart out while she listened. She’d tell you to break up with him, but you’d agonized over how terrifying that would be. You couldn’t bear to tell Kuni the truth—that you wanted to separate because things had turned so rotten—because you were so scared. Scared of him and what he might do.

Scared that if he really did take a blade to himself it would be your fault. He told you that a lot. That it would be your fault if he did anything. That his blood would be on your hands. You believed him every time.

By your final year, you’d already had a plan for university outlined and you’d started applying to a few in advance. You never told Kuni about any of them because you worried he might apply to each one in hopes of going to the same school as you. And when there was the dance for the graduating class and Kuni had asked you to it, you’d told him you were going with Rosalyne and a few other friends as a group. He didn’t like this, as expected, but you’d been so sick of him and his behaviors that you snapped and spilled everything to him. You’ll never forget the look on his face when you told him that you were done with the relationship and that you never wanted to see him again.

He looked as if he could lunge at you and tear you to bloody ribbons at any moment.

You graduated single and so very refreshed, and your summer had been filled with friends. Kuni didn’t message you at all, which was surprising considering you were certain he’d spam you relentlessly after the break-up. But he never did. In fact, you never saw him again. Graduation had come and gone, and now that you could recover from such a terrible relationship he was becoming less of a burden for you. For a while you were anxious. You kept expecting to receive a phone call or to see some news about Kuni, but neither ever came. Rosalyne told you to stop thinking about him. It would only make you even more paranoid and that wouldn’t do your mental health any good. You were so grateful to have her in your life, but most importantly you were glad Kuni failed to scare her away.

Now you’re a second year in college and things have only gotten so much better for you. You and Rosalyne still keep in touch despite going to different schools. She’d gone to a university in Snezhnaya, while you enrolled in one in Sumeru, and you’ve blotted Kuni from your mind. You’ve made a fresh group of friends while attending classes: criminal justice major Shikanoin Heizou, creative writing major Kaedehara Kazuha, musical therapy major Venti, botany major Tighnari, and so many more wonderful people who have all welcomed you into their circles.

So when Venti drags a familiar face to your usual weekend outing, which is really just a retreat to the forest for drinking and smoking, creeping cold settles into your bones. He looks awkward with Venti’s arm slung around him as the more bubbly of the two drags him towards the bonfire, where you sit with the others roasting marshmallows for s’mores, and it’s a look that is so uncharacteristic on him. What’s even weirder is how friendly everyone greets him—as if they all know him—and you’re completely lost when they turn to you and ask if you’ve met Kunikuzushi.

“No,” you lie through your teeth, forcing a pleasant smile and extending your hand for a stiff handshake, which Venti snickers at. “No, I’ve never met him before.”

Apparently, he’s in one of Venti’s classes—it’s a course he’s taking solely because he needs the credits. Tighnari knows him because they usually work the same shifts at the campus café. Kazuha knows him from his linguistics and philosophy classes. Heizou’s ate with him in the dining hall plenty of times now and they’re also taking the same psychology class. It feels so genuine and yet so fake at the same time. Too perfectly manufactured to be a mere coincidence. But you do your best to push past these suspicions, and when he sits across from you, smiling at you and saying how nice it is to meet you, the warping flames paint his face in devilish shadows. That’s what you think he is when he acts like a completely different person from how he was when you dated: a devil who’s good at being kind and outgoing, noisy and abrupt, and always so foul-mouthed, but in a way that makes him charming. Your friends are so enthralled. They love him and his sense of humor. They love his quick wit. They love how fun he is. And suddenly weekends spent in the forest aren’t so enjoyable.

You do your best to overcome your doubts. For a few months you’re on edge. How he even found you is a mystery. Surely he wouldn’t stalk you and enroll in the same college just to get revenge or…whatever vengeance he wants from you. But when he treats you to coffee, when he brings you and the others pastries every other morning, when he invites the lot of you to study at the library, when he tells the funniest stories while crossed and everyone’s giggling like schoolgirls it really feels like he’s…healthier. Like he’s turned a fresh page in his life and is starting anew. Like he’s changed for the better.

Perhaps he just doesn’t remember you. You’ve changed your style over the years, so it’s possible he’s simply forgotten your image and can’t place memories to your name. Eventually, after soothing yourself with these theories, you begin to accept his presence in the group. He fits in so flawlessly, as if he’s a missing piece to the puzzle, and you can’t believe you’re admitting this, but you like this version of Kuni. He’s confident, not cocky. He’s kind, not rude. He gives everyone space. In fact, he rarely texts frequently in the group chat. And he’s funny! He’s so funny. You don’t think the Kuni from your past was ever as funny as the Kuni who regales everyone with lighthearted stories of how he once took in a stray cat that turned out to belong to his neighbor or how his old job had the strangest customers.

Maybe he truly did change. Maybe all of these coincidences really are coincidences. Maybe it’s for the best that you leave the past in the past.

Finals season looms, and the group hasn’t had time to meet up outside of class. Venti has tried to persuade everyone to come study at his apartment. His roommate won’t care (yes, he will. Xiao hates it when everyone gets blackout drunk and he has to wake everyone come morning), but if you’ve known Venti long enough you’ll know there is no studying that happens at these study sessions. This is probably the reason why he’s had to repeat a year.

With everyone’s schedules packed with academics, it’s difficult to find a time where everyone can get together to study. You think you might just be better off studying on your own, but Kuni’s message of you wanna pull an all-nighter for these lame af finals together?? accompanied with a photo of snacks and coffee, any thoughts of studying alone instantly vanish.

This is how you find yourself in his dorm, sprawled on his bed while he sits on the floor, whacking your dangling feet when they get too close to him. His roommate Albedo is currently out tutoring a few students at the library and won’t be back until much later, so it’s just you, Kuni, and a pile of textbooks and notes. You’ve hung out with Kuni a few times and he was great company during each. You’ve also fallen asleep in his dorm before, when you’d come over to binge a show the both of you enjoy, and you’d lost track of time and had slipped into a dream halfway through the marathon. You’d woken the next morning with Kuni looming over you, grinning deviously and holding an uncapped marker. He’d leaned down and whispered, “You drool in your sleep,” and you’d swatted at him and groused about how you were sleeping so peacefully when he just had to ruin your sleep (and your face) with his antics. And then there was that time when you were so drunk at that one party and you could hardly stand, he’d been there to help. He even stayed with you for the rest of that night, offering his assistance when you became nauseous or needed water or a snack until you passed out.

Despite your initial apprehensions, you consider him a friend. He’s no one nearly as close as Rosalyne or your other friends. He’s just a mutual friend, someone you’ll spend time with when you feel like it, but you don’t truly need him in your life. That, and part of you still struggles to trust him after all of the stress and unhealthy obsession he subjected you to.

“Kuni,” you whine, lifting your head from the textbook. “Can you get me some water? I’m thirsty.”

“Do I look like your maid?” he snaps, immersed in organizing his notes. “Get it yourself.”

“I’m picturing it now and you’re in a frilly dress and—”

“Forget I asked.” Setting his notebook down with an exaggerated sigh, he crosses the distance to the mini fridge and withdraws a bottle of water.

Grinning, you slide off of his bed and reach for it with a grateful hum. He smirks and takes a step back, holding it away from you.

“Seriously…”

Rolling your eyes, you lunge for it and he side-steps you with the practiced grace of a cat. You brace yourself against the wall and swipe at him. Again, he dodges, unscrewing the cap and shaking the bottle teasingly.

“I think I’ll take a sip for myself. All of this studying has left me so parched.”

“No fair! That’s mine!”

“Is it?” He pulls it away from his lips to observe the bottle and feigns surprise. “That’s weird. I don’t see your name on it.”

“Look closer!” you exclaim, but just as he’s about to humor you you pounce, tackling him to the ground—there’s a beanbag cushion that breaks your fall—and the water spills all over the both of you in the midst of the tumble. A slew of colorful words stick in Kuni’s throat and your laughter rings out melodiously. You seize his wrist and hold it down while reaching for the bottle in his other hand, where there’s still some water left. He struggles halfheartedly, relinquishing the bottle with a disinterested scoff, and you pull away from him to down what’s left.

While crushing the plastic bottle into a ball, you notice something on your palm—the palm that had grabbed Kuni’s wrist—and it takes a minute before the skin tone-colored substance registers in your mind.

Concealer.

You peer at him and notice that he’s cradling his arm, and confusion sprouts.

“So funny,” he spits with a hollow laugh. “You owe me a new beanbag if this one’s ruined.”

“Hey, hold on. What’s with the—”

“Forget it. You got your water, so let’s get back to studying. Or do you no longer want to be a perfect student?”

Without thinking, you grab his arm as he’s standing and when you look at his forearm you can see where the water’s started to wash the concealer away. Curiously, you scrub at it while he tries to yank his arm away, but when you unearth a dozen scars littering his wrist and climbing the length of his arm that creeping cold from before returns.

And suddenly you’re brought back to those phone calls—the ones where he’d threaten suicide and murder—and you stumble back as if you’ve been burned, half-expecting to hear those threats once more. Kuni’s staring at his wrist, his features twisted in grim disapproval, and for a moment you think he looks…hurt. Or maybe that’s sadness you see. Whatever emotion it was, it doesn’t linger because a quiet chuckle slips past his lips, and the sound is so very frigid it has your blood crystallizing.

“It really hurt when you said you never wanted to see me again.” Kuni peers down at you, and his eyes that had once been so bright and filled with light are dull and dark. “But nothing hurts more than loving you.”

You open your mouth to say something—anything—but the words won’t come. You’re rooted to the ground, horror slinking through your body and rendering you immovable. Your heart is in your throat, pounding so loudly it’s practically a drum, and a cold sweat washes over you.

“Each time I found myself hating you, I thought it was odd because I love you so much. I can’t possibly hate the one I’ve loved all this time.” He scowls. “But loving you hurts. Loving you feels like chewing glass and drinking poison. Loving you isn’t fair because while you moved forward with your ‘friends,’ I was forced to stay behind and pick up the pieces of what was left of you. So for every moment I couldn’t stand you, I tallied it on myself so that I’ll never forget the times I loved you so much I hated you.”

This can’t be happening, you’re thinking, curling your hands into trembling fists. He changed. He changed, right? This isn’t the same Kuni from before. This isn’t…

“And when I saw how well you seemed to be doing without me, I hated you even more.” Without warning, he’s grabbed your arm and hoisted you up. You open your mouth to scream, but no sound comes—not that anything could when he’s pulled a switchblade from his pocket and poised the pointed tip at your jugular. “You have poor taste in friends. Those guys suck.”

Tutting, he shakes his head at you like a parent might when scolding a child, and says, “Do you know how fucking tiring it was pretending? You think I care about pastries and stupid campfire stories? You really think I’d ever want to associate myself with that sorry lot?”

“K-Kuni, please let go of me. I… I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were—I’m sorry. So please just…”

“And then the first time you see me after all these years apart and you had the gall to lie to my face! ‘I’ve never met him before.’ Bullshit. You just didn’t want any of your loser friends to know our history, right? Because you’re ashamed to have known me, right?”

“That’s not it! I… I was just—I didn’t… I was… I just…”

“I… I… I…” he mocks, shoving you down onto the beanbag. It dips under the sudden weight, and you sink further into it when he points the blade at you. “Stop tripping over your tongue. I should be the one near tears! You cast me aside and then forgot all about me. You abandoned me when I needed you most.” His voice cracks at that last sentence, and your heart skips erratically.

“That’s not what happened! We needed space. I needed space. You were being too—” You stop yourself, unsure of how to phrase it. Too controlling? Too dangerous? Too scary?

“Lucky for you, I’m willing to overlook these past...slights.” The blade twirls effortlessly in his grasp, and you heave a relieved breath when he’s no longer pointing it in your direction. “Marry me and we’ll forget all about the past. We’ll start over.”

His demand almost stops your heart altogether. You stare up at him, mouth agape, and mumble a disbelieving, “What?”

“You heard me.” He seems to soften with his next words, and for a moment he looks and sounds like the Kuni who hangs out with you and your friends. The harmlessly fun Kuni who always takes such good care of you. “You’re the only one I’ll ever love, so let’s get married.”

“K-Kuni, I can’t... I really can’t...”

Within seconds the blade has found itself on his wrist, pressing into delicate flesh. Not enough to cut, but if he applies more force you’ll definitely see blood. You choke on a horrified gasp.

“What was that?” He raises his brow at you, challenging you with a calm smile.

Your mind reels in an effort to conjure a plan. What can you even do? If you take the blade from him, will he turn his anger on you? Will you have to wrestle him into submission? And if you do manage to get out of his dorm, will anyone believe you? He’s painted himself in such a pleasant light. Your friends love and trust him! So what can you say? And if there isn’t any solid proof, no one will even entertain bringing the authorities into this mess.

“I’m waiting, (Name). Are you really going to make me add another tally? Do you really want me to hate you again? Oh, but maybe I should start marking you! We can add a slice for each time you failed to love me. That way we’ll both look like used cutting boards.”

You need help, you want to say, but the words escape you.

Instead, you nod hastily and say breathlessly, “Okay, yes! I’ll marry you!” Swallowing your horror, you glance at the blade as it’s lifted from his skin. Thankfully, there isn’t a cut. “I... I’ll marry you, Kuni. So... So please don’t hurt yourself. Please.”

It feels like you’ve been strangled for an eternity, so when he finally pockets the blade the air in your lungs returns and you collapse against the beanbag, chest rising and falling in short, panicked breaths.

“Good.” He bends down to your height, grips your chin with cold fingers, and forces you to meet his adoring stare. “We’ll look at rings tomorrow. Or maybe you’d prefer bracelets instead? I can be flexible but only for you, so you’d better be grateful.”

You swallow rising bile and nod. “T-Thank you.” You’re not sure why you’re thanking him when he hardly deserves it, but it feels like the right thing to say to ease the tension.

Kuni’s eyes sparkle, no longer a void of endless darkness, and when he leans in to capture your lips in his your heart sinks. You really can’t run from your past, can you?

#genshin chit chat #yandere-romanticaa #yandere scaramouche #scara says he needs you but what he really needs is a therapist first and foremost #adding heizou into the mix!!! he probably takes notice of your change in behavior #and confronts you one on one to ask if everything's okay #and he looks so concerned and his voice is so soft and so you break and spill everything #and he nods while he takes in all of this information before offering to help #he knows the law (he's studying it after all!) so he can help you #but what heizou doesn't tell you is that the law might crush one evil person but it can easily protect other evils :)#especially him who is oh-so-honorable and sweet #you'd never know he wants to be more than just friends #and that he has a journal detailing your every move #but also i like the idea of heizou being a genuine friend and the two of you grow closer while trying to find ways to get scara caught #and taken away from you for good #but yan!heizou just hits so deliciously orz #also also!! adding in rosalyne~~ she went to the same uni as kuni (in snezhnaya)#but when he finally found out where you were he transferred #and rosa only realized they went to the same school when she found out from ajax (who also attends the same uni)#kuni probably worked part-time as a hospital receptionist before he transferred schools #and he's pretty sure the doctor there is a serial killer or he's just on the border of criminally insane (this is dottore after all)#(me looking at every way i can insert each harbinger into this au >:D)

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anyasivy · 4 months

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When You Know, You Know - Leonora Lesso x Fem!Reader

"The sky's beautiful." you said.

Leonora Lesso replied with, "I know." staring right at you, drinking in just how the night sky's beauty compared to nothing from you.

warning: i wrote this at 2 am so PLEASE ignore the grammatical errors because on top of that, english is not my first language and i honestly write what sounds best in my head lmfaooooo. this is also based on movie sfgae too.

tags: second chances, light angst, hurt/comfort, fluff

A Reader. Nevers would pick on you and some Evers would be ashamed to be in the same space as you. But nevertheless, you never gave up. You had made it through most of the years... barely. But the thing is, you were graduating and about to embark on a journey worthy of heroes. Well, that until you met a new teacher from the School for Evil during the opening day. Lady Lesso. You eventually found out she'd taught Curses and Deathtraps to Nevers. The thought of falling into one made you shiver, and you made sure since then to never be in the same space as her students. She was a meticulous woman, you observed. From afar, she was almost not intimidating. Her movements were firm and confident. Every flick of her hand, every step and stride, every look— it screamed of fearless. She was, in a way you wouldn't dare admit then, beautiful. Your mind reasoned she was evil, and therefore undeserving of that description. But who could look at Lady Lesso and think of her as anything than? She had the features of a goddess, a beauty that begged to be loved, and a soul that invited affection. You reveled in it, in her, that you hadn't realized you had been staring too much. One day, she pinned you against the wall and demanded to stop your madness.

That had changed it all.

You snapped yourself out of it, your hands holding the invitation the school had sent. Or by the looks of it, schools. You heard what had happened recently, and you thanked the heavens you had graduated already. Rafal? Blood magic? Oh yes, definitely grateful you weren't there to deal with that.

Tonight was the night you'd come back, and you looked momentarily at the gown you had picked. The ballgown was violet, which was the first thing that captured your eyes along with its threaded silk flowers down the bodice. It fit perfectly on your waist and had off-the-shoulder straps. It left your collarbone and cleavage bare. You would wear a necklace and black heels to compliment it. And as you look at your gown, you think of how you're supposed to be excited and stuff. A part of you is... kind of... but you were mostly nervous.

You don't wanna know why. You need not to. And there was no way in hell you'd acknowledge it.

"I apologize," her heels were the first to have entered your view as you hunched over your desk, studying. The sound of rustling and her coat falling on your bed made your heart thump over and over relentlessly against your chest. You try to remember the events of today, making sure you aren't going to let Leonora Lesso off the hook so easily. "It's an exercise getting rid of habits."

You scoff at this. "Habits, you say, when what you did was evil."

"I wonder why," she says ever so smugly, but there is a trace of hesitation in her voice. A fragility that suggests caution and care. You don't dwell on it. Not wanting to.

Flipping to the next page deemed unnecessary as words float above your head. All your senses concentrated on the woman who seemed to sit comfortably atop your dorm bed. You resist the temptation to look in her direction. A second of gazing into her limitless amethyst eyes and you'd lose this fight. Useless it may seem, but it was a big step for you. An instance to remind yourself of your own worth.

The flipping of pages must've rang annoyingly in Lesso's ears because she clears her throat. A testimony to the arising irritation she's been keeping off. "I apologize," she says more firmly than the one she came in with. You remained silent. "Truly, this time. I have no excuses for letting my students perform the prank." She had graded them, too. Shouting a significant 'you passed!' across the room with a hint of amusement not of you, but of her students' stunt. You repeated the scenario over and over in your head, hoping it'd motivate you to keep up the upper hand.

You hear Lesso move. The click, click of her heels matched the fast beating of your stupid heart pounding eagerly.

"Do you want me to beg? Get on my knees for your apology? Because you and I are fully aware of my incapability to surrender to Good."

You snapped. "Lesso." a triumphant smirk formed on her lips. It disappeared a moment after as she circles your desk, now presenting herself in front of you. Her scent fills the space you felt protected in, and for an instant, you could feel your walls of bricks shattering.

"Perhaps I should, then. With that look you're giving me." Leonora tilts her head, hoping for more words to spill out of those pretty lips of yours. She'd kissed them millions of times, but if it took giving up her whole identity to kiss them again, she'd strip herself nameless. "[Y/N], my love. What will it take for you to forgive me?"

You shivered as she spoke. She knew just how to get you, both with her words and her eyes. That expression of hers. The vulnerability of it all. Leonora Lesso promised a wonder that she swore only you could ever reside. So it wasn't a surprise when you got up and pulled her in for a kiss, quick and soft. A promise itself, too. A forgiveness of something shallow to some.

"You are an asshole."

"We have established that to be a compliment."

The School for Good was as grand as ever. As beautiful, too. You looked over the lake and recalled the lessons you had dozed off in that place. The wind and the soft sound of water made it too relaxing for you to behave like anything but an Ever. You continued up the stairs along with other heroes and their partners. The engagement ring you had shone bright like a mark of property you wanted to resist. You wonder if you should've brought your partner like the rest. But then again, you weren't for semantics when it came to the person you wanted to marry for functionality and formality.

The door was wide open for guests, and as you walked further into, you realized there wasn't anything much that changed. The same halls, walls, and designs. The longing in your chest made you want to go back home, away from this place and reminders of who you used to be--- who you used to be with.

You wonder if she's here. If anything had changed about her, or if she stayed the same, too. Evil and cunning. Yours. The bitter taste of how things ended clouded your mind. The cheery guests and welcomes of students in the Theatre of Tales thankfully distracted you from that.

Surprisingly, the floor was full of both Evers and Nevers mingling. There were those who looked disdained as if the Evilness and Goodness of their souls forbade them from interacting with the opposite side. But then there were those who giggled and laughed with each other, almost intimately. The scene before you caused an overwhelming grief. You pushed it forcibly down and started off as you spotted Professor Dovey.

She gives you a look-over like she wants to remember you, and not a second passes before melts in her knees. "Oh, you child!" she ran to you and wrapped an arm, the other too busy keeping the drink she was holding from spilling. "You have grown!"

"Thankfully," you cheered, beaming at the sight of her. "You look nice. Professor Anemone stopped giving you a hard time?"

"Quite the opposite. Everyone, really. The stress of the events and changes-- oh, it's like Christmas and Halloween collided here and urged a holiday of itself." Professor Dovey groans. "But all's well that ends well."

"Yikes." you flash a sheepish smile and glance over the ball, spotting someone with yellow hair reminding a student to smile brighter. You chuckle, looking back at the Professor before you.

"Mhm. Oh. And--"

"Please, Professor." you cut off. The sudden change in her tone, the small whisper and the softness of it obviously led to the territory you've been avoiding all morning.

Dovey sighed, "All right," her shoulder slumped and her eyes darted around across and behind the place before she was sure to speak again. "I don't wanna spoil your surprise."

"Surprise?"

"She's changed, [Y/N]."

"Surprising."

She chuckles softly, almost with pity. Dovey places a gentle hand on your arm and squeezes it. "How about we go get drinks before you meet the rest of the night?"

The end was nearer than you expected. It was coming fast and keen. Surely. You've been keeping your mind off it, finding solace in the moments of now, and not of the future. You question from time to time your insanity and the way to keep it intact should anything unforeseeable happen. Losing her, to be precise. But she's been quiet about it, and the often change of topic when the mention of your graduation is said clues you just how much she's been keeping her mind off it, too. So here you were in the night, sitting on an alcove, and gazing at the stars from your window. The night sky promised such peacefulness. The darkness and the silence radiated comfort you'd almost forgotten the stakes. The meanings. The possibilities. You hug your knees to your chest, feeling defensive of what was yours. What is yours. What should be yours tomorrow and the days after.

The door creaked open.

"You should be sleeping," her voice echoed from the door, and you felt your heart breaking at the unpredictability it held.

You gulp down the ache, hoping your voice didn't come out shaky, "Punish me for it, then." your humor earns a soft chuckle from the woman you loved, and she walks closer to where you were sitting. She opted for the bed instead of beside you.

"Is everything well?" the question shouldn't be hard to answer. The days when you cried about exams and the fear of failing, and she caught you, were far better than the moment right now. You'd rather endure repeating the year if you were given the choice to. It all seemed so simple then.

"The sky's beautiful," you said instead, your eyes never leaving the view before you.

Leonora Lesso replied with, "I know." staring right at you, drinking in just how the night sky's beauty compared to nothing from you. You were... so much more. Your beauty yielded of tremendous unknown that no words could ever amount to describe you. You had her soul, heart, and body. And she didn't mind. Not a single of it.

"What you said earlier," Lesso's mind blanked and her heart froze at the reminder. "I can't say it. I won't ever."

You hear her take a deep breath, it shakes. You finally look at her. And the thoughts of running away with Leonora Lesso didn't seem mad anymore.

"Time will come." was all she said, but her expression betrayed the strength of her voice.

"I won't let it come. If that's what it takes." your voice had gone small, and your feet dragged you beside Lesso. You take her hand with yours and entangle your fingers. You can't let go. Would rather die than be able to. "I can survive Trial by Tales--"

"No. No. We agreed on this. We won't ever." she grips your hand tighter. Desperate. "Evil and Good don't belong together."

And there it is. The string keeping your heart from breaking snaps, and you had fallen into pieces before her. Tears welled up in your eyes as you shifted closer. You leaned in, hoping to find some insincerity in her eyes. A facade. Because this had to be a joke, a cruel joke. And you'd rather she admit it was and forgive her for being evil than for it being true.

"Leonora, that is not true. You and I both know we belong together. This cannot just stay like this. I don't want us to be just a memory." You begged, holding her hands as if she'd slip through any time.

She would.

"It won't just be a memory for me if it's any consolation, my love."

"I can't deny you."

As the moon passed by the clouds, the moonlight shone right over Lesso's face. Her cheeks glistened with the tears that had fallen. You reached to wipe them, but she had stopped and held your hand before she could. A denial.

"Then it's best if I do."

Professor Anemone had flashed the warmest and the perfect smile as she approached you. The pressure builds up in your breath as you try to imitate. You reminded yourself how foolish it was to think you could still fail at her class, but you were nervous as you smiled, anyway. The Professor hadn't commented on it and instead initiated a quick hug.

"Well, if it isn't our lovely [Y/N]. I'd never admit that before," she raises a playful eyebrow and clinks it with yours and Dovey's. "but you certainly have grown. Engaged, I heard." you start thinking if she had heard of it, too.

Professor Dovey snapped her head in your direction at this, obviously taken aback. You wouldn't blame her. It wasn't something you'd do a year ago. "Engaged?"

You hold out your right hand, and despite having done this a couple of times, the action cringes you as they stare at the beautiful ring. "I meant to tell."

"It's beautiful..." Professor Anemone blinks, "But."

"She'd rather not talk about it." Professor Dovey interrupts, and you smile reassuringly at both of them. "I am glad you're engaged and set to a wonderful, fairytale life, dear."

Your smile tightened. A wonderful, fairytale life you had envisioned before had been different, and beautifully so. The thought of it makes you want to choke. It had been a long time since that dream came across your mind, but the effect lingered the same. The longing and the pain tore through your heart, still. You wanted to excuse yourself then and there when a certain woman walked over the small circle of you and the two Professors.

"You came,"

All the air in your lungs escaped. And so did Anemone and Dovey.

Leonora Lesso stood tall, her heels bothering her feet like always, and dressed in an all-black outfit appropriate for Never Professors, looking as Evil and as beautiful as ever. A wonder. And still, still, she took your breath away.

"You came, too." was all your stupid mouth could say, your eyes fixed on her amethyst ones. Limitless, you'd describe it then. And you were right even after all these years.

"It's kind of mandatory." she humored, and you smiled, and she forgot to breathe as well. It's insane, she thinks, of how you were still able to do this to her. To have this kind of hold after everything.

When Leonora thought she was on the brink of death, her life flashed before her eyes, and she saw you. Your eyes. Your smile. She felt you. Your soft hands. Your touch. You.

Silence fell, awkward silence. And you had shifted your gaze from her eyes to the ground, afraid of letting too much of your emotions fall out. You wonder if she was at all feeling the same.

"Professor Dovey said you changed. A surprise, she claims." you start, hoping it'd suffice for a conversation.

"Dovey says a lot of things."

"I know."

"I should say the same for you." she watched your ring, and you followed suit. You felt almost defensive of your actions when you realized. "I say congratulations are in order."

You gulp the lump in your throat, "You don't have to."

"Congratulations, [Y/N]."

You crumbled. Lesso's face was void of anything but hurt. For a second, you were sure tears formed in the corners of her eyes, and you struggled not to pull her into your arms like before. Why can't this just be like before?

"It's for formality. I don't love him. It's not like that." you quickly blabbered, breathing heavily. "I... shit. Just..." and without warning, you took her by arm and electricity flowed through your skin. You try not to focus on the fact that this has been the first time you touched her in years as you drag the both of you to your secret spot. A surreptitious place that felt like it was built solely for the two of you. When you arrived, a breath you didn't know you were holding was still stuck in your throat. You pull your hand away.

Leonora stands a few feet away, maintaining a distance to keep herself from running up to you and having you be hers again.

"You look beautiful tonight."

"Stop,"

"[Y/N], I apologize--"

"No. Stop,"

"Please, just--"

"You denied me!" all the pain throughout the years, the hurt that had grown over time and had been forgotten, and the frustration, came out trembling. The tears you refrained from falling fell free. Leonora Lesso has always been your ruin. "You denied me, Leonora. I told you I love you and I wanted to fight for you. That--that this fucking Good versus Evil bullshit was nothing compared to what we had-- what we have-- that it was greater than anything withstanding us! And you denied me."

The moonlight shone just like that night. You see Leonora's eyebrows furrowed, and it only took you a second to realize she was crying, too. Her red hair, longer now, had cascaded just above her shoulder. And you ached to brush your fingers on it.

"I love you." she steps closer.

"No."

"I love you so much." and closer.

"Leonora--"

"I love you, [Y/N]."

And you admit defeat. Just like before. You meet her halfway and wrap your arms around her neck as you pull her in for a kiss. Heavens, her lips. Her kiss. Her hands find its usual place on your waist. The feel of her pressed up. The brush of her nose. You could die. It all seemed to fit so perfectly. Like two puzzles. Like two fated people meant to be each other's.

The moment she pulls away, you sniffle, tears still flowing. She chuckles at the sight of you, wiping your tears away with her thumb. You lean into the touch. "You are the best thing in my life and I was a fool to let you go. To ever believe those things I've said, to even imply them. I was the greatest fool ever. But I can't live this life, [Y/N], not without you. I can't live with knowing I had you and set you free. I cannot."

"I love you, too, you dumbass."

Leonora smiles, and your heart swells with so much love. The sound of your diamond ring falling to the ground cracks a smile in you, and Lesso brushes her nose against yours. You inhale her scent. Unchanging. Just like this unwavering love between the two of you. You press your lips against hers again, feeling at home within her arms.

"Deny me again and I'll kill you, you hear me?"

"And to think you graduated School for Good."

the end.

any grammatical errors and typos will be changed in the morning because wtf it's 3 am I AM TIRED. SUFFER FOR A LITTLE. GOOD NIGHT.

#leonora lesso #lady lesso #leonora lesso x reader #lady lesso x reader #the school for good and evil #sfgae #charlize theron #charlize theron x reader #wlw #hurt/comfort #fluff #was so sleepy writing this holy shit

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