(You're Aether! Enjoy!) ────────۶ৎ──────────

"The Day Aether Met Scaramouche"

At highschool, everyone knew Scaramouche. With his sharp jawline, mischievous grin, and that signature bounce in his step, he was the "king" of the school. Captain of the basketball team, top of his class in charm, and the center of every rumor. Scaramouche was untouchable. Girls would swap notes on his schedule, plan their routes just to catch a glimpse of him walking down the hall, hoodie half-on, earphones in, completely untouchable.

Everyone knew Scaramouche.

Except Aether.

Aether was quiet. He kept to himself, always sitting at the back of the class, eyes fixed on his notebook or a book he'd borrowed from the library. He didn’t care for popularity or school gossip. He wasn’t invisible, just… not looking to be seen.

One afternoon, after the final bell rang and the halls began to clear, Aether stayed behind in a classroom to review notes for an upcoming test. He was scribbling something in his notebook when —BAM— the door slammed shut.

Aether jumped.

Standing there, leaning against the door with slightly tousled hair, catching his breath like he’d been running, was Scaramouche himself.

"Hey," Scaramouche said, trying to catch his breath. “I need your help. I need to hide from the girls”

Aether blinked. “Um… sorry, who are you?”

Scaramouche froze.

“Wait. You’re joking, right? Do you live under a rock?” he said, laughing nervously. “You seriously don’t know who I am?”

“No… Should I?” Aether replied honestly.

Scaramouche stared at him like he’d just grown a second head. “I’m Scaramouche. You know... basketball team? Morning announcements? Literally the reason half the school forgets to blink?”

Aether tilted his head. “That doesn’t really help.”

For a moment, Scaramouche was speechless. That never happened. No one didn’t know him. And yet, here was this quiet boy with golden hair and wide eyes, completely unaffected by his presence.

A weird grin spread across Scaramouche’s face. He stepped closer, curious now, like he’d just found a rare Pokémon. “Okay… You’re interesting.”

Aether frowned. “Did you forget to take your meds today or something?"

Scaramouche glanced toward the window then back at you confused. “I-what? No!” he said, genuinely scandalized. “Forget it. Just… help me hide, alright?

Aether sighed. “So I’m your cover?”

Scaramouche grinned. “More like my hero.”

And just like that, the most popular boy in school pulled up a chair beside the quietest one and that was how it all began.